The Social Value of Dance Timeline by

Katherine Dunham

kaianoeljohnson — 2025-01-19 21:24:12 UTC

Katherine Dunham's dance troupe executed movements from Afro-Caribbean forms in performances. Dunham took a trip to the Caribbean to study the practices that she would be performing onstage. As quoted by the Haitian abassador to the United States turned president, Katherine Dunham gave Vodou rituals, "a permanent niche in the temple of Terpsichorean Art."

Dunham's influence also had an effect on the world renowned choreographer George Balanchine. The quick and percussive movements that he is famous for in his ballets, came to be in part due to the influence of Dunham and other black creators.

(Das 67-68, 70-71)

Hip Hop

kaianoeljohnson — 2025-01-19 21:42:48 UTC

Hip Hop came to be what we know it as today in the 1970s in New York. This culture has several different elements. Of these elements, one that is closely tied to African aesthetics is: breaking. Breaking involves battles in which the dancers show off footwork, up rocking, and acrobatic tricks. These battles typically take place in cyphers and one can see the connections to African aesthetics as there is a connection to the ladja from Martinique.

(Das 60, 73)

The Morris

kaianoeljohnson — 2025-01-19 22:24:18 UTC

The Morris Dance is an English semi-professional dance that is strenuous and involves choreographed steps. Traditionally, this dance was performed by mostly men with bells draped around their ankles or knees and ribbons or sleeves to accentuate arm movements. Dancers of the Morris were frequently hired as entertainment for various festives.

(Winerock 249-250)

The Volta

kaianoeljohnson — 2025-01-19 22:43:11 UTC

The Volta dance is performed by men and women. The Volta requires close and intimate contact between its male and female dancers. This dance was performed in England, and it was a dance that was deemed as being "wanton," being "disorderly," as well as being "lascivious" by Curate Cotton and early dance manual writers.

(Winerock 248-249)