GRANT MONEY GOES TO PERPETUATE KATHERINE DUNHAM'S WORK.Many people are not lucky enough to be alive when the public acknowledges their worth. At 91, dance legend Katherine Dunham (see "Katherine Dunham: A One-Woman Revolution," Dance Magazine, August 2000, page 42) is not one of those. Her many accolades include a Dance Magazine Award and Kennedy Center honors The Kennedy Center Honors are held to be the highlight event in the cultural life of the United States. The idea was the brainchild of George Stevens, Jr. (who remains involved), and he and his partner, the late Nick Vanoff, put together the first event, launching it in 1978. . But until now, Dunham's awards haven't translated into financial support--a reality that's kept Dunham, and those who work with her, scrambling to stay afloat. In the latest tribute, however, the Doris Duke
Doris Duke (November 22, 1912 – October 28, 1993) was an American heiress and philanthropist. Charitable Foundation has given the Library of Congress $1 million to purchase and preserve the dancer/choreographer's archives. In addition, Illinois has set aside a matching $1 million to make sure Dunham's legacy remains alive in her home state. The state legislature A state legislature may refer to a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system. The following legislatures exist in the following political subdivisions: River, central U.S. It rises at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows south, meeting its major tributaries, the Missouri and the Ohio rivers, about halfway along its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. from St. Louis, Missouri. Younge also hopes some of the state's $1 million will go toward reopening the Katherine Dunham school, which educated the likes of Harry Belafonte Harold George Belafonte, Jr. (born March 1, 1927) is an American musician, actor and social activist. One of the most successful Jamaican musicians in history, he was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style in the 1950s. and Marlon Brando Marlon Brando, Jr. (April 3 1924 – July 1 2004) was an Academy Award-winning American actor whose body of work spanned over half a century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential actors of all time. , and to revitalizing her company. Before state funds can be paid out, however, the Dunham Center must provide the state with detailed information on how much improvements and upkeep will cost. Putting together an itemized list isn't going to be easy for the skeleton crew The term skeleton crew is used to indicate the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item at its most simple operating requirements, such as a ship or business, during an emergency and, at the same time, to keep vital functions operating. of center volunteers who have their hands full just making sure the doors are open and the lights stay on. The Doris Duke money should come through soon, but at press time Dunham and the center were still waiting while details were worked out. "As a federal agency, we have to proceed at a snail's pace," says Vicky Risner, project director and dance specialist at the Library of Congress, "but the deal is definitely a go." The library knows some funds will support this summer's Dunham symposium in East St. Louis. Beyond that, the grant is intended to preserve materials that document Dunham's life and work and to keep Dunham's work alive by expanding educational programs, particularly at the Dunham Center. Dunham herself will also receive some of the money, though she doesn't know how much. The library's work will span a two-year period, with the first dedicated to collecting and transporting papers, photos, and copies of videos to the LOC LOC - lines of code . (Articles on display at the Dunham Center museum will remain in East St. Louis.) The second year will focus on documenting the technique and creating new material to fill in any voids. The Katherine Dunham Legacy Project will add to a growing collection of dance archives at the Library of Congress. Among them are the Martha Graham Collection and the Bob Fosse/Gwen Verdon Collection. |
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