“We do try to keep the Dunham legacy alive in the minds of people,” said
Leverne Backstrom, board chairman of the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities.
An ice cream social was held yesterday evening at the Katherine Dunham Museum, 1005 Pennsylvania Ave. in East St. Louis, Ill., to commemorate Dunham’s 105th birthday. Dunham—legendary dancer, choreographer, creator
of the Dunham Technique, scholar, and humanitarian—was born June 22,
1909 in Chicago, Ill. Dunham died May 21, 2006.
The Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities is a non-profit,
multi-disciplinary arts organization founded by and operated under Dunham’s memory and legacy. Backstrom estimated that 55 guests attended the social, most dressed in all-White garbs with splashes of turquoise.
White was one of Dunham’s trademarks, Backstrom said.
“It was one of the things that Miss Dunham always did whenever she had any
sort of gathering,” Backstrom said. “The accent color was turquoise because that was her favorite color.”
Guests also had an opportunity to admire a new addition to the museum
grounds, an STL250 cake to commemorate the City of St. Louis’ 250th birthday. The cake was installed February 21 and designed by Artist Dail
Chambers, founder of the Yeyo Arts Collective. It is one of several cakes
located in the Metro East, including one at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where Miss Dunham received an honorary doctorate of fine arts in 1983.
“The spirit of Miss Dunham can be felt when you walk into the halls of the
museum,” Backstrom said. “She could have left this legacy anywhere in the
world but she chose East St. Louis.”
However, most people are unaware that the museum is still “up, alive, and
running,” Backstrom said. The Katherine Dunham Museum houses Dunham’s personal collection of symbolic and functional art, including more than 250 African and Caribbean art objects from more than 50 countries.
The KDCAH will further honor Dunham’s legacy with the upcoming 31st Annual
International Authentic Katherine Dunham Technique Seminar, Backstrom said. The seminar will run July 26 through August 3 at Washington University’s Edison Theater Building. Most of the people who attend the seminar are working toward becoming certified as Dunham Technique instructors, Backstrom said.
“It’s also a time for persons who want to learn dance and the Dunham Technique,” Backstrom said, adding that it is a fusion of African and Caribbean dance and American ballet.
This year’s seminar will also include world dance classes, lectures, films, discussions, and an observation of John Pratt artistic works.
For more information, email the Dunham Registrar at kdcah@ymail.com or
contact Leverne Backstrom at 618-795-5970
Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil
