June 22
Born Today:
Katherine Dunham
The incomparable Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) was a dancer, choreographer, social activist, and dance anthropologist - a formidable presence in the dance community. Her company performed outside of the USA between 1948 and 1968, making them the "unofficial" but extremely influential cultural representatives for the United States and the West Indies, introducing the world to the dances of the Caribbean. Dunham and her company also performed on Broadway in Cabin in the Sky (1940) and in movies, including Stormy Weather (1943). Dunham’s legacy is still shared today, as the Dunham Technique, a combination of modern dance, African diasporic dance, and jazz dance. It is taught at the Ailey School, where dancers experience a melting pot of influences taught with respect and care.
Also Born Today: Choreographer Helen Lewis (1916-2009) was born and trained in what is now the Czech Republic, but her career was interrupted by WWII, when she was transferred to several concentration camps. She survived and relocated to Belfast in 1947, becoming instrumental in the development of modern dance in Ireland. Broadway choreographer Gower Champion (1919-1980) and his wife Marge Champion (1919-2020) appeared in 1950s movie musicals such as Show Boat (1951) and Give a Girl a Break (1953), and he went on to direct Broadway musicals including Hello, Dolly! (1964) and 42nd Street (1980). Folk dancer Ron Smedley (1928-2021) directed London Folk, a successful dance company that performed in local and international festivals, he taught folk dance at the Royal Ballet School and was a TV producer at the BBC. Contemporary choreographer Ohad Naharin (1952-) directed the Israeli company Batsheva from 1990-2018 and created a unique and personalized movement language called Gaga.
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Ballet Premiere: Ondine in 1843