Research Catalog

Title

Reconstruction of Dunham technique [videorecording] / [presented by] the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities ; choreography by Katherine Dunham.

Publication

1973.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Dunham, Katherine.
• Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities.
• New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Dance Collection.

Description

3 videocassettes (139 min.) : si., col. NTSC; 1/2 in. (VHS)

Summary

Compilation of works from Katherine Dunham's repertory, performed onstage without scenery, mostly under work lights. The dancers in the two sections of Rites de passage (Puberty ritual and Fertility ritual) perform in costume ; the four dancers in Choros wear practice clothes ; in the other works, the cast is variously dressed in full or partial costumes or practice clothes. Although this film lacks a soundtrack, the footage includes shots of Dunham and others, probably members of her company, in a panel discussion.

Series Statement

Katherine Dunham Centers Collection

Subject

• Dunham, Katherine
• Rites de passage (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Nañigo (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Choros (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Fieldhands (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Plantation dances (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Flaming youth 1927 (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Nostalgia (Choreographic work : Dunham)
• Cakewalk (Choreographic work : Dunham)

Genre/Form

• Dance.
• Video.

Note

• Originally filmed on 16mm ; film preserved and transferred to videotape by the Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, in 2002.
• Title from original film can.

Event (note)

• Filmed in December 1973.

Contents

• Cassette 1. Rites de passage. Puberty ritual [excerpt] (ca. 7 min.) / wide shot.
• Nañigo [excerpt] (ca. 3 min.) / close shot.
• Nañigo (ca. 7 min.) / wide shot.
• Choros [excerpts] (ca. 4 min.) / close shot.
• Rites de passage. Fertility ritual (ca. 8 min.) / wide shot.
• Rites de passage. Fertility ritual [excerpts] (ca. 3 min.) / close shot.
• Rites de passage. Puberty ritual (ca. 7 min.) / wide shot.
• Rites de passage. Fertility ritual [excerpt] (ca. 4 min.) / close shot.
• Nañigo [excerpts] (ca. 7 min.) / close shot ; some sections are filmed twice.
• Choros (ca. 6 min.) / wide shot.
• Cassette 2. [Panel discussion] (ca. 6 min.) / panelists include Katherine Dunham (seated at center) and others.
• Americana [excerpts] (ca. 2 min.) / close shot ; includes the works Fieldhands and Plantation dances (in two sections, Square dance and Juba).
• Floyd's guitar blues [excerpts] (ca. 4 min.) / close and wide shots ; some sections are filmed more than once.
• [Panel discussion] (ca. 2 min.) / close-ups of the faces of the panelists, including Katherine Dunham.
• Americana (ca. 5 min.) / wide shot. Fieldhands and the two sections of Plantation dances (Square dance and Juba) are performed without breaks.
• Floyd's guitar blues (ca. 4 min.) / wide shot.
• Flaming youth (ca. 9 min.) / wide shot.
• [Candid footage of Katherine Dunham and others in the audience] (ca. 2 min.).
• Cassette 3. Flaming youth [excerpts] (ca. 7 min.) / close shot.
• Tango [excerpts] (ca. 4 min.) / performed as part of Homage to Scott Joplin ; close shot.
• Cakewalk (ca. 5 min.) / performed as part of Homage to Scott Joplin ; wide shot.
• Ragtime (ca. 5 min.) / performed as part of Homage to Scott Joplin ; originally performed as part of Nostalgia ; wide shot.
• Cakewalk [excerpts] (ca. 4 min.) / close shot.
• Tango (ca. 6 min.) / wide shot.
• Ragtime [excerpts] (ca. 3 min.) / close shot.

Call Number

*MGZIA 4-5440

OCLC

NYPY02-F603

Title

Reconstruction of Dunham technique [videorecording] / [presented by] the Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities ; choreography by Katherine Dunham.

Imprint

1973.

Country of Producing Entity

U.S.

Series

Katherine Dunham Centers Collection

Event

Filmed in December 1973.

Performer

Dancers not identified.

Added Author

Dunham, Katherine.

Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities.

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Dance Collection.

Research Call Number

*MGZIA 4-5440

*MGZHB 12-2686 Additional copy ; 4 film reels (5151 ft.) 16mm. This print is stored for preservation and not available for viewing. Use *MGZIA 4-5440 instead.