220px katherine dunham

Katherine Dunham

By mlakovic

  • Born

    Born
    She was born in Chicago and raised in Joliet, Illinois.

  • Began to study ballet

    Began to study ballet
    In 1928, she began to study ballet with Ludmilla Speranzeva, Mark Turbyfill and Ruth Page. Through her ballet teachers, she was also exposed to Spanish, East Indian, Javanese and Balinese dance forms.

  • Ballet Nègres

    Ballet Nègres
    In 1931, she formed a group called Ballets Nègres, which was one of the first black ballet companies in the United States.

  • Opened the Negro Dance Group

    Opened the Negro Dance Group
    In 1933, she opened her first real dance school, the Negro Dance Group

  • Studied in the Caribbean

    Studied in the Caribbean
    In 1935, she was awarded travel fellowships from foundations to conduct ethnographic study of the dance forms of the Caribbean. Her field work began in Jamaica, and she then traveled to Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, and eventually Haiti, where she spent most of her time.

  • Danced with Chicago Opera Company

    Danced with Chicago Opera Company
    From around 1934-1936, she performed as a guest artist with the Chicago Opera Company.

  • Received Ph.B (Bachelor of Philosophy)

    Received Ph.B (Bachelor of Philosophy)
    in 1936, she returned to Chicago and was awarded a Ph.B (Bachelor of Philosophy) with her principal area of study being anthropology. She was on of the 1st African American women to attend this college and to also earn these degrees.

  • Opened the Katherine Dunham School of Dance

    Opened the Katherine Dunham School of Dance
    In 1945, she opened and directed the Katherine Dunham School of Dance and Theatre near Times Square in NYC. Her school included courses in dance, drama, performing arts, applied skills, humanities, cultural studies, and Caribbean research.

  • The Katherine Dunham School of Dance was expanded

    The Katherine Dunham School of Dance was expanded
    In 1947, her school was expanded and granted a charter as the Katherine Dunham School of Cultural Arts

  • Married

    Married
    In 1949, she finally married John Pratt, and adopted her daughter, Marie-Christine

  • Became the First African-American to choreograph for the Met

    Became the First African-American to choreograph for the Met
    In 1963, she received an invitation from New York's Metropolitan Opera to stage dances for a new production of Aida, starring Leontyne Price. She became the first African-american to choreograph for the Met since Hemsley Winfield.

  • Died

    Died
    She died of natural causes on May 21, 2006.