
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.