Afro-Futuristic Adventures with Dr. Katherine Dunham :Dancing Into the Future Curriculum

ISBN: 979-8-218-72074-2
By: Baker-Mason, Letta

ABOUT THE BOOK

In this visionary PreK–12 curriculum, Dr. Katherine Dunham returns as an honored ancestor in the Afro-Futuristic world of Wakanda-Ghana—a reimagined cultural epicenter where Black joy, peace, innovation, and ancestral wisdom guide the future. Through rhythmic movement, storytelling, music, and visual art, children journey alongside the spirit of Dunham as she passes down her legacy of dance, anthropology, and social justice. Rooted in African and Afro-Caribbean movement traditions and the diverse dances of the African diaspora, this curriculum celebrates the evolution of the Dunham Technique as both an artistic practice and a pathway to healing, identity, and collective liberation. With no villains, protagonists, or antagonists, the narrative centers on joy, community, and natural innovation in the Motherland, learning not from conflict but from the harmony of ancestral knowledge and embodied learning. Through S.T.E.A.M.S. integration (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math, and Social Studies), students engage in: Dance mapping using geometry and spatial design Music exploration tied to Afrobeat and spiritual movement Artmaking inspired by the vibrant Afro-Futuristic visuals of Mark Fraley Storytelling, journaling, and project-based learning grounded in Historically Responsive Literacy (HRL) and Sociocultural Theory This curriculum is a celebration of Black joy, balance, beauty, and becoming, where the next generation moves with purpose, listens to the land, and creates from a place of peace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Letta Baker-Mason

Letta S. Baker Mason is an award-winning educator, author, curriculum designer, and cultural arts advocate whose work bridges early childhood education, Black Studies, and arts-based literacy. With over 30 years of experience in teaching and curriculum leadership, Letta has empowered generations of students and teachers to center identity, joy, criticality, and creativity in their learning journeys. A lifelong learner and visionary scholar, Letta is the author of several culturally responsive educational texts, including Sankofa, Sankofa and the ABCs, and the groundbreaking interdisciplinary series Afro-Futuristic Adventures, which integrates dance, geometry, music, and storytelling to reimagine Black history and futures through the eyes of innovators like Dr. Katherine Dunham and Granville T. Woods. Letta’s teaching philosophy is grounded in the Historically Responsive Literacy Framework, Sociocultural Theory, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), with a deep commitment to equity, inclusivity, and cultural affirmation for Black, multilingual, and neurodiverse learners. Her leadership in curriculum reform has been recognized across school districts and higher education institutions, where she mentors educators and leads community-based arts and literacy initiatives. Letta’s work is also a tribute to her lineage of educators, storytellers, and freedom dreamers. Her writing is not only pedagogical but deeply poetic, ancestral, and rooted in liberation.