Pearl Primus | |
|---|---|
 Primus performing "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" in 1944 | |
| Born | November 29, 1919 |
| Died | October 29, 1994 (aged 74) New Rochelle, New York, United States |
| Education | Hunter College New York University |
| Occupation(s) | Choreographer, dancer, anthropologist |
| Spouse | Percival Borde |
| Career | |
| Former groups | New Dance Group |
Pearl Eileen Primus (November 29, 1919 – October 29, 1994) was an American dancer, choreographer and anthropologist. Primus played an important role in the presentation of African dance to American audiences. Early in her career she saw the need to promote African dance as an art form worthy of study and performance. Primus' work was a reaction to myths of savagery and the lack of knowledge about African people. It was an effort to guide the Western world to view African dance as an important and dignified statement about another way of life.[1]
- ^ Myers, Gerald E. (1993). African American Genius in Modern Dance. Durham, N.C.: American Dance Festival.