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Krannert Center Events: 2025-2026 Season

About This Event

October Dance features the historic reconstruction of Katherine Dunham's seminal work Afrique, choreographed in 1949. Dunham, who is considered the matriarch of Black Dance, had a career that spanned Broadway, concert stages, opera, TV, and Hollywood films and inspired artists such as Eartha Kitt and Alvin Ailey. This production of a Dunham classic is directed by George A. Miller Visiting Artist April Berry, a certified master teacher of the Dunham Technique and a former principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In addition, former Hubbard Street dancer and choreographer Rena Butler offers a premiere along with Dance at Illinois resident artists: Dr. Cynthia Oliver performs a spoken word solo, Dr. C. Kemal Nance premieres a work for first-year students, and Associate Professor Roxane D'Orléans Juste performs with her sister, guest artist Sonia D'Orléans Juste.

Thursday October 9th-Saturday October 11th, 2025 at 7:30pm in the Tryon Festival Theatre

See the Krannert Center website for more details and to purchase tickets.

Featured Items from MPAL's Collection

Katherine Dunham | Queen Mother Of Black Dance (Biography)