Katherine Dunham:

Katherine Dunham was born on June 22, 1909, in Illinois, and died on May 21, 2006.  She is an American dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist. She attended the University of Chicago and formed a group that performed at the Chicago World Fair in 1934. With her anthropology degree, she went to study in the Caribbean and Brazil. In 1938 she joined the Federal Theatre Project, composing a ballet called “L’Ag’Ya” inspired by Caribbean dance. She later formed a company that began touring in 1943.  She is renowned for introducing the audience to African culture and establishing African dance as a true art form.    

Context:

While earning her master's degree at the University of Chicago, she learned a lot about the dance and rituals of black people in tropical America. She later incorporated African-American, Caribbean, and South American-style movements into her ballet. She traveled to many places including Jamaica, Haiti, and other islands in order to study the dances of their culture. With that information and knowledge she acquired she went on to develop African American dance technique and showcased it back to New York when she returned to America. She was a big advocate of racial equality, during the time when she performed with her company.