Interviewed by Joe Nash at the Dance Collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City.
For transcript see *MGZMT 3-1865.
Summary
Ms. Brooks discusses her childhood in Guadeloupe and Trinidad; her religious development; the dance tradition in Guadeloupe and Trinidad; her scholarship at the Katherine Dunham School of Arts and Research; moving to New York City; her first reactions to Dunham technique; learning to dance to counts; studying with Syvilla Fort, Lavinia Williams, and Walter Nicks; teaching and studying indigenous dance; dance technique; the Marie Brooks Dance Theatre; teaching Dunham technique in Trinidad; Percival Borde; Pearl Primus; stick dances; creating the junior company of the Dance Theatre of Harlem; Arthur Mitchell; teaching children's classes at Dance Theatre of Harlem; her philosophy of dance education for children; initiating open houses at the Dance Theatre of Harlem; travelling to Brazil with young students; Shango pieces; and The passing of the king.
