The show was choreographed by Katherine Dunham, who Josephine had studied dance with and her co-star was Ethel Waters.
While performing in tribute to legendary choreographer, and Kenndy Center Honoree Katherine Dunham at the Kennedy Center Honors, the NYCBs befriended Frank Sinatra, (also an Honoree that year) who was so impressed by the NYCBs, he hired them back to perform for the 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala, which Sinatra was the organizing Chairman.
The decisison also cost the company the services of her husband, basso profondo Gordon Simpson, for which she later said that Dunham never fully forgave her.
Katherine | Katherine Jenkins | Katherine, Northern Territory | Katherine Mansfield | Katherine Heigl | Katherine Harris | Katherine Anne Porter | Dunham | Katherine Neville | Katherine Dunham | Katherine Bernhardt | Jeff Dunham | Dunham Massey | Carroll Dunham | Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings | Katherine Neville (author) | Katherine More | Katherine Chon | Mike Dunham | Katherine River | Katherine MacGregor | Katherine Brown | Madelyn Dunham | Lady Katherine Ferrers | Katherine Smith | Katherine Ramsland | Katherine Newman | Katherine Neville, Duchess of Norfolk | Katherine Mary Clutterbuck | Katherine Kurtz |
Hence AAADT has a repertory of more than 200 works by over seventy choreographers, including such choreographers as Ulysses Dove, Karole Armitage, Uri Sands, Elisa Monte, Talley Beatty, Katherine Dunham and Twyla Tharp (whose work The Golden Section, excerpted from her larger ballet, The Catherine Wheel, entered AAADT's repertory in 2006).
She received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Dayton and Wright State University, as well as prestigious awards including the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship Award, the Dance/USA 2000 Honors Award, the Katherine Dunham Award, the Dance Magazine Award, The National Black Arts Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Dance Women Living Legend Honors, and the Regional Dance America Northeast Award.