Katherine Dunham served as artist in residence at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1965. She intently developed pivotal relationships with architect Buck Minster Fuller and opera singer Majorie Lawrence forging her way into the local art community. The images selected showcase her teaching the famous Dunham Techniques as students prepare to perform for their dance finals. Bottom right, we see her providing instruction to Faust ballet cast member, Melvin Taylor on the campus SIUC. The Faust ballet was Dunham’s first written production and directorial debut for the university. She would return to SIU Edwardsville in 1967 as a visiting artist for the Fine Arts Division in partnership with the Experiment in Higher Education Program. In collaboration with SIUE, she developed the Performing Arts Training Center and partnered with the university to offer transferable college credits through PATC.
A Dunham Digital Resource 