Kaiso!: Writings by and about Katherine Dunham (Studies in Dance History) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 029921270X ISBN 13: 9780299212704

Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press, 2006

Synopsis

“Kaiso,” a term of praise that is the calypso equivalent of “bravo,” is a fitting title for this definitive and celebratory collection of writings by and about Katherine Dunham, the legendary African American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, and social activist. Originally produced in the 1970s, this is a newly revised and much expanded edition that includes recent scholarly articles, Dunham’s essays on dance and anthropology, press reviews, interviews, and chapters from Dunham’s unpublished volume of memoirs, “Minefields.” With nearly a hundred selections by dozens of authors, Kaiso! provides invaluable insight into the life and work of this pioneering anthropologist and performer and is certain to become an essential resource for scholars and general readers interested in social anthropology, dance history, African American studies, or Katherine Dunham herself.

About this title

About the Author:

    VèVè A. Clark (1944–2007) was associate professor of African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Sara E. Johnson is assistant professor of comparative literature at the University of California, San Diego.
    Katherine Dunham numbers among the most influential dance artists and scholars of the twentieth century. Trained as an anthropologist at the University of Chicago, she combined her interest in dance and anthropology by linking the form and function of Caribbean dance and ritual to their African sources. Her research provided the core for what would become known as the Katherine Dunham Technique of dance, which integrated African and Caribbean styles of movement with ballet and modern dance. Dunham’s career as a dancer and choreographer encompassed Broadway revues, appearances in several films, and choreography for the New York Metropolitan Opera. Also a recognized social activist, she staged several highly publicized hunger strikes and often incorporated speeches against discrimination into her stage performances.

From Booklist:

*Starred Review* Katherine Dunham is polymorphous: a trailblazing dancer, choreographer, anthropologist, educator, and activist. Dunham describes her origins as polygenetic: her mother's French Canadian family included European, Russian Jewish, Indian, and black relatives, whereas her father traced his roots to Madagascar. By inheritance and inclination, Dunham's life has been creative, cosmopolitan, and complex. Born in Chicago in 1909, Dunham navigated a difficult childhood, earned her PhD in anthropology at the University of Chicago, and secured fellowships to study Caribbean dance. She founded one of the first African American ballet companies, which toured all over the world, and she collaborated with George Balanchine. Dunham's many endeavors and attributes are discerningly displayed and interpreted in this generous and dazzling collection. Here are excerpts from Dunham's elegantly composed books; her brilliant manifestos on the communal, aesthetic, and spiritual dimensions of dance; and electrifying, never-before-published swathes of autobiography. Interviews and essays by critics and scholars explicate Dunham's highly influential work and social activism. Kaiso!, a calypsonian expression of admiration, perfectly captures the enthusiasm and gratitude readers will feel as they immerse themselves in all things Dunham. Donna Seaman
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About this edition

• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 029921270X
• ISBN 13: 9780299212704
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 718
• Editor: Clark Veve A., Johnson Sara E.