Black History Month - Honoring Dance Contributors

[dancersdreamland]

In honor of February being Black History Month I thought it might be kind of neat to learn about famous African America contributors in the world of dance. I will try every few days to post information about a contributor in the hopes we will all gain from the knowledge.

Feel free to add your own contributions as well or recommend dancers we should honor.

 

[dancersdreamland]

"New York's Carnegie Hall was filled to capacity on the night of January 15, 1979, when Katharine Dunham was presented with that year's Albert Schweitzer Music Award "for a life's work dedicated to music and devoted to humanity." The night was billed as "A Katharine Dunham Gala," and three generations of Katherine Dunham dancers and musicians performed some of the works of the dancer, choreographer, and scholar who revolutionized American dance by going to the anthropological roots of black dance and ritual and transforming them into a significant artistic choreography that spoke to all."

For more on this great dance contributor and the continuation of this article, please visit http://www.kennedy-center.org/calen...n=showIndividual&entitY_id=3721&source_type=A

 

[It's Wonderful]

Frankie Manning. 'Nuff said, I think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Manning

 

[Medira]

Gregory Hines

 

[Rosa]

Michael Jackson.

No matter what you think about his personal life, he is and always has been a first-class dancer.

Rosa

 

[RhumbaWaltz]

Great thread, DancersDreamland!

Savion Glover
"Savion Glover is a performer, choreographer, director, and producer. He is the 1996 Tony Award winner for choroegraphy for Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk on Broadway. Additional Broadway credits include The Tap Dance Kid, Black and Bue, and Jelly's Last Jam."
(Bio from Broadway Dance Center's site)

 

[Medira]

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson