MYRNA MUNCHUS, DSPS, MFA, CRMC

DR. MYRNA CLARICE MUNCHUS began her dance studies at age 4, declared her love of dance at age 6, and entered the dance world as a classical ballerina in l959, under the tutelage of Marion Durham Cuyjet, of Philadelphia, PA. Cuyjet described young Myrna as a prodigy and took her to NYC to study privately with Mr. George Chaffe' and at The American Ballet Theatre, Balanchine’s school, to expand her studies and widen her exposure. In 1973, at age 22, Munchus co-founded a dance school where she taught ballet & modern and was exposed to African & Jazz dance by her studio partner. She went on to study, teach & perform across North America, throughout the Caribbean, the Pacific, Europe, Africa and Asia as a solo artist, a teaching artist & principal dancer in several companies. Her career spans six decades with credits from classical ballet, to world traditions, to dance as a medium of healing; from stage, to television, to The White House. She was a pioneer of liturgical or sacred dance in worship settings in the early '70s, before it became popular; and she taught in studios, conservatories & universities from the late ‘70s until her departure to Africa in 1998. Munchus was one of the first two professional students of Mama Kariamu Welsh at Temple University, and Mama sat on her MFA Committee, 1989-90. Mama enjoyed the first public performance of her work in Philadelphia, as a guest artist on Munchus’ MFA Concert. Munchus was a teacher of the Umfundalai Technique during the Philadelphia Phase, from 1986-1990, until she left Temple to join the dance faculty at The Pennsylvania State University at University Park.