Jazz Dance

This is a rare advertising handbill (flyer) promoting ticket sales for the Original Broadway engagement of KATHERINE DUNHAM and her Company of Dancers, Singers and Musicians at the Broadway Theatre in New York City beginning April 19th, 1950. (The production opened April 19th, 1950 and ran for 37 performances.) ….. The dance revue starred KATHERINE DUNHAM and the Dunham Dancers, Singers and Musicians including VANOYE AIKENS, LUCILLE ELLIS, LENWOOD MORRIS, WILBERT BRADLEY, DOLORES HARPER, MIRIAM BURTON, EDDY CLAY, LA ROSA ESTRADA, EDWARD HAWKINS, ELOISE HILL, ROSALIE KING, JON LEI, JULIO MENDEZ, JULIE ROBINSON, GORDON SIMPSON, ANNE SMITH, FRANCES TAYLOR and JACQUELINE WALCOTT ….. Biography: Katherine Dunham has been called the “Matriarch of Black Dance.” Her unprecedented blend of cultural anthropology with the artistic genre of dance in the early 1930’s, produced groundbreaking forms of movement, and in the United States, established black dance as an art form in its own right. Her professional troupe, formed in the early 1940’s, was a first for African Americans, and led the way for future notables of dance the likes of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Arthur Mitchell’s Dance Theatre of Harlem ….. CREDITS: Choreographed and Staged by KATHERINE DUNHAM; Sets designed by ROBERT ELSOM; Costumes designed by JOHN PRATT; Orchestra conducted by VADICO GOGLIANO; Produced by S. HUROK ….. DETAILS: Advertising handbills (heralds) were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. This single page, one-sided handbill measures 6″ X 9″ inches and includes wonderful graphics, production credits, performance dates and a ticket order form on the front. The backside is blank ….. CONDITION: With the exception of a fold across the middle and light creasing along the right edge, this rare handbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any dance aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.