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Whether we speak of pioneers in modern dance or of early modern dancers, the name of Hemsley Winfield is rarely mentioned. Within the study of dance, most people are familiar with Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan, and Ruth St. Denis, the three who are given credit for the birth of what was to be called modern dance. And, if one was asked to name some of the early modern dancers, the names of Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Honya Holm, and Katherine Dunham would certainly come to mind. However, many people don't know that Hemsley Winfield was a contemporary of this second group, who were to become the leading dancers and choreographers of their generation. Edna Guy wrote about pioneers in Negro dance stating, "three talented Negro dancers had already, by hard work and determination, started something of importance in the Negro dance. They were the late Hemsley Winfield, who studied with Mordkin, Edna Guy, a protege [sic] of Ruth St. Denis, and Katherine Dunham of Chicago, who was studying the ballet."2 It has been by others written that Hemsley Winfield was considered "the pioneer in Negro concert dancing. In that field he attained for his race an eminence comparable to that of Paul Robeson in the musical field. He achieved amazing results in such a short time."3
Thirty years after his death he was remembered for dancing the roll of the witch doctor in the Emperor Jones at the Metropolitan Opera House.4 One can only imagine that if Hemsley Winfield had not passed at the age of 26, he may well have been one of the artistic leaders during the Harlem Rennaisance and he may have been remembered along with the other leaders of modern dance.
Named after his mother's maiden name, Hemsley, he was Osborne Hemsley Winfield. He was born, lived, attended school, directed, taught and choreographed dance in Yonkers, New York. His home, where he lived with his parents, still stands at 24 Wolffe Street.
including a track event during a Field Day, in which he won a dash event while he was in the seventh grade.5 The earliest acting reference, found by this author, lists Winfield as one of the actors to perform in three one act plays with The National...