Presentation Summary Dunham’s technique was influenced by Afro-Caribbean dance and the African culture. She fused these cultures and rituals in with European Modern Ballet. Since she is seen bringing elements of African American culture to Modern Ballet, her work is considered primitive. Her technique consists of polyrhythmic dancing. Meaning that her movements consisted of two or more rhythms occurring at the same time and sometimes two or more different body parts doing different things simultaneously. In her classes she likes to have at least two sets of drummers, which would be drumming at different beats and rhythm. Her technique is also classified by having classical lines and a torso that was able to do both isolations and undulations within the movements. Isolations are very key to having strong fluid movements and undulating movements, for example are like up and down almost a …show more content…
She felt that the female dancers should be able to perform the same steps as the male dancers. Dunham spent hours training at the barre performing exercises to strength core and back to have better alignment. The Dunham barre is one of the most intense and specialized barre exercises. It can last over an hour and still not complete all the different movements that Ms. Dunham has created. In this video we are about to watch, Dunham is helping Rachel Tavernier, with the Rocking Horse; Fall and Recovery, and Fall and Recovery with Roll Through technique. Not only was having the strength and stamina to perform her movements big, but Dunham also had three main principals behind her technique. This consisted of having mind, body, and spiritual awareness. She wanted her dancers to be able to have a connection with the movements Dunham taught. Dunham not only taught them movements, but also taught them were the steps originated from, and gave them purpose and meaning behind each