Katherine Dunham

Known as the Matriarch of Black Dance, Katherine Dunham founded the first major black modern dance company in America. Integrating the rhythms of Haiti, Cuba, Brazil and the Caribbean into American dance. Katherine Dunham's influence and dance technique had a huge impact on the world of jazz dance. Today almost all jazz dancers use her technique in their dance. She was alive from 1909-2006, almost 100 years (96 years).