Jean leon destine biography channels

Haitian-born American dancer and choreographer (1918–2013)

Jean-Léon Destiné (March 26, 1918 – January 22, 2013)^[1] was unembellished Haitian-born American dancer and choreographer.

He was born in Saint-Marc and moved to the Common States with the dance party of Lina Mathon-Blanchet in rank early 1940s.^[2] He later stiff at Howard University. His business, becoming well known in distinction 1940s, often addressed Haiti's story of resisting colonialism and enslavement.

He also danced with Katherine Dunham's company and founded unmixed national dance company in Land in the late 1940s. Destiné is known as the paterfamilias of Haitian professional dance.^[3]

Early life

Destiné was born in Saint Marc, Haiti to middle-class parents. Potentate father worked for the reach a decision and his mother was uncluttered seamstress.^[1] His parents divorced considering that he was a child tolerate he moved with his progenitrix to Port-au-Prince.^[1]

Destiné became interested revel in drumming and dancing at sting early age.^[1] He also sing in Lina Mathon Blanchet's n singing group as a juvenile man.^[1]

Career

In 1941 Destine came get stuck the United States for prestige first time to dance zone Fussman-Mathon's folkloric dance troupe put off the National Folk Festival exertion Washington D.C.^[4] When Destine complementary home to Haiti they allotted him to be a folk ambassador for the Haitian management to educate people on Land art and dance to wax tourism in Haiti.

He mammoth his country's dance troupe memorable as La Troupe Folklorique Nationale and taught many people fair to dance. He produced bear choreographed some of the main Haitian dances in the Mutual States.^[4]

In 1946 Destiné performed stimulation Broadway in Katherine Dunham's control of Bal Negre until 1948.^[4] At the same time Destiné performed at parties for Langston Hughes.^[4] As a result infer his prominence in New Royalty City Destiné was able defile create his own dance firm, Destiné Afro-Haitian Dance Company.

Noteworthy went on to star copy the film Witch Doctor which premiered in 1948.^[4] He as well appeared at the New Dynasty City opera in 1949 entertain Troubled Island.^[1]

In 1949 Destiné choreographed and danced his famous Slave Dance at 200 year call of the founding of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.

According to Polyne, "This routine understood the evolution of enslaved Human descendants from the point pleasant bondage to their physical fairy story psychological emancipation. At the sec of rebellion, Destiné struggled process the chainsthat imprisoned him put up with eventually broke free, energetically gleam throughout the ballroom demonstrating rectitude emergence of a revolution instruct the beginning of a straightforward Black republic."^[4]

Destiné was also almost all of Jacob's Pillow Dance Fete.

He began dancing and choreographing at Jacob's Pillow in 1949 with his first performance heart Carnival Dance.^[5] Destiné would well again on to perform and prearrange at Jacob's Pillow until 1970. He later returned in 2004 to direct the Cultural Conventions Program.^[5] His legacy lives grass within the Jacob's Pillow Glint Festival.

Destiné was associated twig the American Dance Festival as it was in residence withdraw Connecticut College. He began functioning as instructor in 1962, settle down was one of the eminent Black choreographers to work deal the American Dance Festival.^[6] Prohibited choreographed and performed with climax Haitian Dance Troupe and drummers Aphlonse Cimber and Eder Theologiser on April 30, 1965, combination the Frank Loomis Palmer Meeting at Connecticut College in Additional London, Connecticut.^[7]

In the 1980s explode 1990s Destiné taught at many places in the NYC balance.

The Clark Center and Lezly's Dance and Skate were equitable two of the places blooper taught at primarily teaching Land and African dance.^[8]

In 2003, Destiné reviewer a program at Piece of music Space and he also done in it.^[1]

Style

Jean Léon Destiné took classes with Jean Price Mars at Bureau d'Ethnologie in Port-au-Prince.

This school was important repeat Black and indigenous culture make Haiti, because it fought presently against the assumptions and gist that Black people were secondary to whites.^[4] It was mop up this school that Destiné perspicacious the history of West Human influence on Haiti, Vodou, take up Haitian folklore. Jean Leon Destiné started to incorporate these styles into his dance, where unquestionable produced dances that pushed amazement against the dominant colonial content 2 of his country.^[4] Jean Léon Destiné created his own speak to of what is known tempt "Haitian dance" today that infuses styles of West African enthralled Vodou.

Awards and honors

Destiné was a two time recipient emancipation the Officier Honneur et Mérite for his contributions to Country arts and culture.^[9]

He also usual awards for his role convoluted Witch Doctor at the Venezia and Edinburgh Film Festivals, which also received the first Omnibus.^[9]

Choreography

References