New School Montessori dance teacher, Jeanne Speier, is an award-winning student of Katherine Dunham. Jeanne will be teaching an introduction to this empowering and beautiful dance technique. The focus of this series goes beyond the dance, encompassing Dunham’s philosophy, world vision and synthesis of Afro-Haitian dance.
- Registration deadline: Thursday, June 1
- This is a series of 4 classes
- Tuesday evenings June 6-27, 2017
- 6:15-7:30 p.m.
- at The Contemporary Dance Theater in College Hill, 1805 Larch Avenue.
(Info below is from the Contemporary Dance Center’s website)
DUNHAM MODERN TECHNIQUE SUMMER WORKSHOP: AFRO-CARIBBEAN BASED MODERN – Learn the Afro-Caribbean based Modern dance technique created by Katherine Dunham. The class includes barre, center, across the floor, and choreography in the Dunham style.
Session 1 : “Beyond the Dance” – Katherine Dunham Technique. She was called the “Matriarch of Black Dance”. She described her technique as a way of life. Katherine Dunham – anthropologist, dancer, choreographer, activist, and humanist – revolutionized American dance in the 1930′s. Her legendary dance technique reflects a fusion of many cultures. She founded the Katherine Dunham Dance group devoted to African-American and Afro-Caribbean dance. Instructor Jeanne Speier, award winning student of Katherine Dunham, will be teaching an introduction to this empowering and beautiful dance technique. The focus of this series goes beyond the dance, encompassing Dunham’s philosophy, world vision and synthesis of Afro-Haitian dance.
Learn more about the significant contributions of Katherine Dunham here.
This class is a “pre-registration required” class for Summer Session 1. This class will be offered in July on a drop-in basis.
JEANNE SPEIER was a student of Miss Katherine Dunham in East St. Louis at her performing arts training center and she performed with her student company throughout the Midwest. She was selected to perform at Carnegie Hall with three generations of Dunham companies when Miss Dunham received the Albert Schweitzer humanitarian award in 1979. Jeanne is a certified Dunham teacher and member of the Dunham certification board. She has also taught this technique at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center, The New School and at the Katherine Dunham Seminars in East St. Louis.
JAN BLUNT is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she began her dancing and teaching career, and was a founding member of Cincinnati’s African American Drum and Dance Ensemble, as well as the Espere Liturgical Dance Ensemble. She earned her undergraduate degree at Hampton University, where she majored in Mass Communications and Broadcasting, and danced with the school’s dance company, the Terpsichoreans. She relocated to Southern California in 1986 and became a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is a fifth grade teacher and Arts Coordinator at Loyola Village Fine and Performing Arts Magnet School. She has been a student of Dunham technique for 25 years, and is a certified Dunham Technique Instructor. In Los Angeles, Jan has danced with Djimbe West African Drummer and Dancers, Embrasamba Afro-Brazilian Dance Company, and Grupo Afro Bahia Brazilian Dance Ensemble, Sona Sane’ African Dance Ensemble and was artistic director of Abalaye African Dance Ensemble. She has taught Dunham Technique classes and workshops at Lula Washington Dance Theater, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Cortinez High School for the Arts, Ciara Dance, Contemporary Dance Theater (Cincinnati), and teaches Jazz Dance for the Los Angeles School District Conservatory of Fine Arts for students gifted in the arts. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Administration at California State University, Northridge. Close proximity to Hollywood has afforded many opportunities, and she has television, movie and music video credits, but she is far more focused on the education of young people, in academics as well as the arts