b. Chicago. She studied anthropology at the Univ. of Chicago, where she began her studies on dances of the Caribbean. In addition to teaching anthropology, from the late 1930s until the 1960s, she directed her own dance company, which toured the United States and Europe. Her choreography combines Caribbean and African movements and rhythms with those of modern dance.
In 1965, she accepted a position as adviser to the cultural ministry of Senegal. In 1967, she became director of the Performing Arts Training Center at the East St. Louis branch of Southern Illinois Univ., where she works with youth groups. Through her choreography, teaching, and appearances in different media, she brought African dance to the attention of the public and exerted tremendous influence on the evolution of modern dance. Her works include Chorus and Bal Negre. She also choreographed the film Cabin in the Sky (1940) and Aida (1963) at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.