What is Dunham Technique?
Dunham Technique is a modern dance technique created by the world renowned dancer/choreographer Katherine Dunham and draws from Classical Ballet with its roots stemming from traditional African and Caribbean dance movements and rhythms.
Katherine Dunham developed her signature approach to dance through honing the dancers in her company and school, cultural anthropological studies in the Caribbean, African and all her world travels, and through the spiritual inspiration of her Vodoun devotion and ancient wisdom across cultures. Dunham Technique exists in a rare intersection and integration of physical fitness, philosophy, spirituality and self awareness. This is why Katherine Dunham called her technique "a way of life."
The dance vocabulary focuses on the isolation of individual body parts, in preparation for execution of poly-movement structures of African dance and music. Class takes you through a deep study and strengthening of your body from signature Dunham Barre exercises to Dunham Progressions. These are the essential building blocks from which dances are formed and what made master teacher and dancer Pat Hall proclaim Dunham Technique, “The Ballet of Black Dance.” Physically, or mechanically if you will Katherine Dunham birthed the practice of the physical isolations segment of dance warm ups that are now customary throughout all styles of dance and informed the creation of techniques of other masters like Bob Fosse.
“Dunham Technique is a codified technique, a set of structured patterns and movements that are designed to employ the dancer and provide the dancer with a knowledge of the body and connect it with its original purpose, there is a purpose for movement. Along with the technique, it is also developing the whole individual. That’s what separates it from other techniques.”