Katherine Dunham
Katherine Dunham
Katherine Mary Dunhamwas an American dancer, choreographer, author, educator, and social activist. Dunham had one of the most successful dance careers in American and European theater of the 20th century, and directed her own dance company for many years. She has been called the "matriarch and queen mother of black dance."...
ProfessionDancer
Date of Birth22 June 1909
CityGlen Ellyn, IL
american-dancer cared critics liked love presented west
I was in love with the West Indies and I liked the authenticity with which Trinidad was presented but the critics could have cared less.
american-dancer anyone library minority program small start terms
I'd say that anyone who is going to start a minority program to try to think in terms of a big library and some small kind of museum.
hardship wanted concerned
I wasn't concerned about the hardships because I always felt I was doing what I had to do, what I wanted to do and what I was destined to do.
productive-life years want
I could never live a nonproductive life and I feel that I have lived a productive life as far as I want to in terms of this company that I have for so many years.
american-dancer company considered greatest maybe number paris success three
We had maybe the greatest success of any company that I know of in Paris, and after two or three years I wanted to do this same number that we did for PBS, so we did it and Paris had always considered us their darlings.
american-dancer education family grow influence knew older parents practiced prejudice racial realized town
The older I grow the more I see the influence of my family on my life. I didn't always see it. It was up to our parents to see that we had our education in a town that hadn't yet realized what racial prejudice was but actually knew and practiced it on occasion.
american-dancer theatre
You know, this isn't theatre like it used to be.
american-dancer aside chicago country few local master number people places students talent teachers
Aside from a few master teachers that we have had over the years, this has been a completely local talent development. But people have started to come now from Chicago, we have a number of students from Chicago and different places of the country and even in the world.