Dancing Into Joy: Why Learning About Dr. Katherine Dunham Matters in Preschool

"To be African is not a color; it is a way of being in the world."

                                                               — Malidoma Somé

Hey Educators, Parents, and Curious Souls,

Let's have a heart-to-heart about why Black Studies, primarily through the arts, is essential in early childhood. What if I told you that the dance steps your preschooler takes today could lead them toward confidence, identity, and joy?

Let's start with the powerhouse herself...

        Who Was Dr. Katherine Dunham?

Imagine someone who could dance across continents, write a Ph.D. dissertation, lead social movements, and still have time to choreograph Broadway shows. That was Dr. Katherine Dunham, a groundbreaking African American dancer, anthropologist, and activist who revolutionized modern dance by fusing traditional African and Caribbean styles into a technique that continues to inspire today.

Known as the Dunham Technique, her work is more than dance; it's a fusion of culture, history, movement, and resistance.

        Why Black Studies Through the Arts in Preschool?

Pull up a chair, let's break it down:

1. Self-Identity Is the Foundation

When kids see themselves in stories about Harriet Tubman, Imhotep, or Katherine Dunham, they don't just learn history; they see possibility. That's HRL in action (Historically Responsive Literacy), building identity and joy.

2. Cultural Pride Isn't Optional — It's Empowerment

Respecting home languages, hairstyles, music, and family rhythms matters. When educators affirm students' lived experiences, we activate their brilliance.

3. Social-Emotional Learning Must Be Culturally Responsive

Preschoolers feel their way through the world. Teaching through Black stories of joy, struggle, and triumph nurtures empathy, fairness, and regulation.

4. STEAMS + Movement = Magic

Want your child to learn counting? Teach them African dance patterns. Want to talk about anatomy? Explore how dancers move. It's all connected.

5. Families Are the First Teachers

Every recipe, bedtime song, or Sunday braid session carries deep knowledge. When we bring those into classrooms, we honor funds of knowledge, and kids thrive.

Cross-Curricular Joy in Action

Domain Activity Focus

Literacy Read Sulwe and retell it in multiple languages HRL, Multilingualism.

Math Count using Kente cloth patterns or dance steps Logic, Cultural Math

Science Explore healing herbs from Caribbean traditions STEAMS, Ancestral Knowledge

Art Paint Adinkra symbols and tell their meanings Visual Storytelling

Music & Dance Drum, dance Dunham-style and sing call-and-response Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence

Social Studies Build family trees with oral history interviews HRL: Historical Awareness

Outdoor Learning: Take nature walks while reciting African proverbs Dewey's Experiential Learning

Afrofuturistic Adventures with Dr. Katherine Dunham

Inspired by the book "Afrofuturistic Adventures with Dr. Katherine Dunham" by Letta S. Baker Mason, young children explore rhythm, justice, science, and self-love through the legacy of Dr. Dunham. This picture book is a joyful leap into Black history and Black futures.

5 Preschool Activities Inspired by Dr. Dunham

1. Afro-Caribbean Drum Circle – Kids explore rhythm and call-and-response songs.
2. Dunham Technique for Kids – Simple movement activities inspired by real Dunham steps.
3. Math in Motion – Dance in patterns of 4s and 8s; yes, math class can have music!
4. STEAMS Meets Costume Design – Sketch futuristic outfits and label muscles used in dance.
5. Afrofuturistic Bio-Portraits – Paint Dunham with stars, planets, and symbols of freedom.

What Is Afrofuturism, and Why Should Preschoolers Know?

Afrofuturism is where tradition meets imagination. Think: African roots with space travel, robotics, and music. Think Janelle Monáe, Octavia Butler, and Sun Ra. Think liberation reimagined.

Bettina Love and Black Joy

Scholar Dr. Bettina Love reminds us:

"Black joy is not the absence of pain but the presence of radical resistance."

In other words, when our children dance, laugh, create, and imagine boldly, they resist erasure. Joy is a revolutionary act.

Playlist: Black Joy for Kids & Families

Turn these on at home, in the car, or during circle time:

• "Happy Feelin's" – Maze ft. Frankie Beverly
• "Lift Every Voice and Sing" – Black National Anthem
• "Brown Skin Girl" – Beyoncé
• "I Love My Hair" – Sesame Street
• "Lovely Day" – Bill Withers
• “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” – McFadden & Whitehead
• "Black is Beautiful" – Chronixx
• "Glory" – Common & John Legend (kid-safe version)
• "This Little Light of Mine" – Traditional
• "I Am Somebody" – Affirmation Song

How Families Can Get Involved

You don't need to be a dancer or a historian; you need to show up in love and with a story. Here's how:

• 📖 Read Afrofuturistic Adventures with Dr. Katherine Dunham together
• 🗣️ Share family stories about culture, music, or resistance
• 🌍 Teach your child your home language or favorite lullaby
• 👗 Send in cultural garments or artifacts for Show & Tell
• 🥘 Cook a family recipe and tell its story
• 🎶 Join classroom music and dance days, and boogie with your little one!

In Closing...

Black Studies in Preschool isn't just about history; it's about planting the seeds of identity, resilience, and radical joy.

It's about letting children know:

"You come from greatness, and you are destined to create futures."

Let's teach them to dance into it.