Katherine Dunham Dance Scene "Stormy Weather" 1943

Katherine Dunham (1909-2006) American dancer and choreographer.   Renowned throughout the World during the 1940s and 50s and hugely popular in the United States, where the Washington Post called her "dance's Katherine the Great." 

An innovator in African-American modern dance as well as a leader in the field of dance anthropology. For almost thirty years she maintained the Katherine Dunham Dance Company, the only self-supported American black dance troupe of the time.

The clip above is taken from "Stormy Weather" an American musical produced and released by 20th Century Fox in 1943. Fred Astaire commented that the "Jumping Jive" sequence (featuring Cab Calloway and his band) was "the greatest movie musical number he had ever seen"

In 2001, "Stormy Weather" was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It was released on DVD in North America in 2005.

Katherine Dunham, Full Bio on Wikipedia

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