born Nov. 29, 1919, Port of Spain, Trin.
died Oct. 29, 1994, New Rochelle, N.Y., U.S.
U.S. dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist.
Her family moved to New York City when she was two years old. She made her dance debut as the first black member of the New Dance Group in 1943 and formed her own company the next year. Her anthropological research in Africa and the Caribbean led her to choreograph works such as African Ceremonial (1944) and The Wedding (1961), and she obtained a Ph.D. from Columbia University.