Josephine Baker
By: Holly Merrigan
Baker's Biography
Baker was an entertainer whose main areas of expertise were singing and dancing. When she was very young, she became good friends with her neighbor and they would perform shows for their parents. This aided in her love for performing. At the age of 13, Baker moved out of her families home and worked as a waitress. Also at 13, she first started performing for a real audience.
Josephine Baker
Baker performed in Paris in 1975
Josephine Baker
Baker dances the Charleston at the Folies-Beregere in Paris in 1926.
Josephine Baker
Baker always made performances fun and inventive for the audience by crossing her eyes and tripping over her own feet.
Josephine Baker - Juana❤la❤Cubana - Los Telez
Baker caught the attention of many people while dancing Juana la Cubana.
Questions:
1. How did Baker come up with this form of dancing?
2. Despite the praise she received for her dancing, did she ever get embarrassed by the way she looked?
Impact on the 1920's
Baker influenced the dance world of the 1920's. She wasn't on time with the other dancers and she would cross her eyes and trip over her own feet. This was what caught the attention of other people and helped her be recommended for many shows. The audience loved watching her and it started to get to where that's the only type of dance they wanted to see people do.
Citations
- Onion, Rebecca. "Forget Madonna and Angelina. Josephine Baker Adopted 12 Children From Across the Globe." Slate. N.p., 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
- "Josephine Baker." Biography in Context. N.p., 19 Nov. 1993. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
- "Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. Myra Seahorn, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2015.