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Overview of the Collection |
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| Creator: | Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.). Department of Theatre Arts | |
| Title: | Dance Archives | |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1940-1949 | |
| Quantity: | 1.5 linear feet 4 boxes |
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Arrangement |
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| This record group [1.5 linear ft.] consists of documentation produced and assembled from 1940 until 1949 by the staff of the Dance Archives. Included are a variety of record types: correspondence, photographs, lists, clippings, memos, press releases, checklists, printed matter, notes, reports, and a typed mss. | ||
| The original order of the records made access difficult. For instance, according to an inventory found with the materials, one would find complimentary correspondence under `P' for "Pats on Back". In addition, the list did not follow the sequence of folders. | ||
| A list of the original order is located with the finding aid preceding folder I.1 | ||
| There appear to be items missing: the original inventory referred to folders not found in these records; and a notation on the last box processed read, "Dance Archives De-L... NB last box found 12/78." During the late 1970's and early eighties, the Museum Library, then the custodian of these items, moved locations three times and these boxes must have been lost. | ||
| Selected noteworthy correspondents include: Eugene Berman, Robert Edmond Jones, Salvador Dali (1 item), Lilian Gish (1 item), Arch Lauterer, Marc Chagall (1 item), and Lee Simonson. | ||
| Titles in quotation marks refer to original file folder labels. | ||
| The Papers are organized into three Series: | ||
| Series I. Department Records, arranged alphabetically | ||
| Series II. Exhibitions, arranged chronologically | ||
| Series III. Dance Index Publication | ||
The Dance Archives, founded by Lincoln Kirstein, was established as a branch of the Museum's Library in October 1939 to provide a specialized research collection for the study of contemporary dance. The original collection of books, prints, photographs, slides, films and other dance/theatre related items were donated to the Museum from the extensive collections of Lincoln Kirstein, Gordon Craig, and Fred King.
Paul Magriel was the Dance Archives' first librarian. George Amberg took over this position after Magriel left the Museum in 1942 to join the armed forces. In 1944-45 the Dance Archives was regarded as a separate curatorial department, the Department of Dance and Theatre Desgin, with Amberg as its curator. At this time, an advisory committee to the department was established. Lincoln Kirstein, George Freedley (NY Public Library), Rosamond Gilder (Theatre Arts Monthly), Arch Lauterer, John Martin (NY Times), A. Hyatt Mayor (Metropolitan Museum of Art), and May Seymour (Museum of the City of NY) were among its members.
The department was responsible for updating and expanding the study collection, for curating exhibitions held at the Museum and those organized by the Department of Circulating Exhibitions. Some of these exhibitions include: Anna Pavlova Memorial Exhibition, Isadora Duncan: Drawings, Photographs, Memorabilia, Modern American Dance, From Sketch to Stage, The Theatre of Eugene Berman, World of Illusion: Elements of Stage Design, and Stage Design by Robert Edmond Jones.
The original gift of books from Lincoln Kirstein to the Dance Archives included historical dance documentation outside the contemporary focus of the collection. In Fall 1946, these items (ca. 250 books) were transferred to Harvard University.
The Department of Dance and Theatre Design was later referred to as the Department of Theatre Arts. By 1947-48, George Amberg's title became theatre arts consultant under the Library. In Spring 1948 George Amberg resigned and in July the Dance Archives was changed to its former status as a division of the Library due to the Museum's rising operating costs.
The records are open for research and contain no restricted materials.
The Dance Archives are the physical property of The Museum of Modern Art. Literary rights, including copyright belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Rights to work produced during the normal course of Museum business resides with The Museum of Modern Art. For further information, and to obtain permission to publish or reproduce, contact the Museum Archivist.
Index Terms |
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| This collection is indexed under the following headings in the library catalog of The Museum of Modern Art. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings. | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Kirstein, Lincoln, 1907-1996 -- Archives | ||
| Modern dance -- History -- Sources | ||
| Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Dance Archives -- Archives | ||
| Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Department of Theatre Arts -- Archives | ||
| Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Exhibitions -- Archives | ||
| Performance art -- History -- Sources | ||
| Document Types: | ||
| Correspondence | ||
Within the Museum Archives, see also the Department of Circulating Exhibitions records and the Registrar exhibition files, "M.C. Acquisitions/Theatre Arts" files (6 folders); object files in the Department of Drawings may also be relevant. Some Museum Dance Archives material was transferred to New York Public's Performing Arts Library (now at Lincoln Center).
Dance Archives, [series.folder]. The Museum of Modern Art Archives, New York.
Explanation of Abbreviations
ALS is an Autographed Letter Signed.
TLS is a Typed Letter Signed.
TL stands for Typed Letter.
MoMA is The Museum of Modern Art.
n.d. stands for no date.
re: stands for regarding.
Series I. Departmental Matters |
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20 folders; Arranged alphabetically by title |
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| Folder | Title | Date |
| I.1 | "Acquisitions (Study Collection) (Accessions)" Incl. 1 TLS Leo Ziemssen Moll-Alfred H. Barr (AHB) (1940) |
1940-46 |
| I.2 | "Amer. Dance Committee" Incl. clippings and Museum announcement, re: An evening on American dance |
1947-48 |
| I.3 | American Minstrel tradition Acquisition of American minstrel collection mentioned in "The Dance Archives." |
[n.d.] |
| I.4 | "Circulating [Exhibitions]" Memos |
1945-48 |
| I.5 | Correspondence 1 TL (carbon) MW-NY Public Library (1948) re: fate of Theatre Arts Collection |
ca. 1946-49 |
| I.6 | Correspondence and departmental report 1944 dept. report |
ca. 1944-46 |
| I.7 | Correspondence - René d'Harnoncourt "Curatorial- d'Harnoncourt" |
1946-48 |
| I.8 | "[Dance] Advisory Committee [Minutes]" | 1944 |
| I.9 | "Dance Archives (abroad)" Incl. corresp: London Archives of the Dance |
1946 |
| I.10 | Educational Theatre Labeled "Miss Weber" |
ca. 1946 |
| I.11 | "Exhibitions and Publications" memos |
1945-48 |
| I.12 | "Fund-Raising" Incl. text; form letter |
ca. 1948 |
| I.13 | "Gifts" Incl. donor corresp |
ca. 1947-48 |
| I.14 | "Kirstein - Foundation of Dance Archives" Incl. advisory and honorary committee member list |
1940-? |
| I.15 | "Publicity" Newmeyer/Chamberlain memos re: publicity to Amberg |
1945-47 |
| I.16 | "Registrar-Dudley-Registrar" Incl. memos |
ca. 1947-48 |
| I.17 | "[registrar] receipts" | 1940 |
| I.18 | Study collection reproduction descriptions Label text for objects in collection |
ca. 1942 |
| I.19 | "Theater Arts [departmental reports]" Incl. memos, drafts, departmental reports and budgets |
1945-47 |
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Series II. Exhibitions |
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24 folders; Exhibitions proposed and realized, arranged in chronological order. |
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| Folder | Title | Date |
| II.20 | "Dance Archives Exhibitions (Press releases, clippings)" Lists and printed matter from several exhibitions |
1940-42 |
| II.21.a | Art in Progress: 15th Anniversary Exhibition: "Art in Progress" MoMA Exh. # 258d, May 24-September 17, 1944 |
1944 |
| II.21.b | Art in Progress: 15th Anniversary Exhibition: "Art in Progress 1944" Incl. loan receipts |
1944 |
| II.22 | "Dance in America" C/E show which travelled to 14 cities, 1945-46 |
1945 |
| II.23.a | Stage Design by Robert Edmond Jones: "Robert Edmond Jones (First Exhibition Permanent Gallery) April 10, 1945" MoMA Exh. #285, April 11-June 24, 1945 |
1945 |
| II.23.b | Stage Design by Robert Edmond Jones: "Robert Edmond Jones April 10-June 29, 1945 Permanent Gallery" Incl. press release draft, invitation, loan correspondence |
1945 |
| II.24 | Stage Designs of Joan Junyer "Joan Junyer." MoMA Exh. #292, July 10-September 17, 1945 |
1945 |
| II.25 | Costume Carnival MoMA Exh. #296, September 19-November 25, 1945 |
ca. 1945 |
| II.26 | "Graphic Snapshots" Proposed exhibition. Incl. corresp: Dolbin, B.F. |
ca. 1945 |
| II.27 | Marc Chagall MoMA exh. 316, 1946 April 9-June 23, 1946 |
1946 |
| II.28.a | Scenic Design by Arch Lauterer: "Arch Lauterer-Press clippings label material" MoMA Exh. #327, August 27-November 7, 1946 |
1946 |
| II.28.b | Scenic Design by Arch Lauterer: "Arch Lauterer Exhibition" Incl. memos; loan correspondence alphabetically arranged |
1946-47 |
| II.29 | "Designer's Competition" Proposed Young Scenic Designers Competition |
ca. 1946 |
| II.30.a | The Theatre of Eugene Berman: "Berman lists" MoMA Exh. #341, January 21-March 9, 1947 |
1947 |
| II.30.b | The Theatre of Eugene Berman: "Berman" Incl. memos, loan correspondence alphabetically arranged |
ca. 1947 |
| II.31 | Boris Aronson: Stage Designs and Models. "Aronson Exhibition." MoMA Exh. #354, June 24-October 10, 1947 |
ca. 1947 |
| II.32 | World of Illusion: Elements of Stage Design. "Elements of Stage Design." MoMA Exh. 360, October 14, 1947-January 4, 1948 |
1947-48 |
| II.33 | "Ballet in England" Proposed exhibition of English ballet stage and costume designs in collaboration with London Arts Council |
1947-48 |
| II.34 | "Czechoslovak Exhibition" Proposed exhibition of stage design in Czechoslovakia |
ca. 1947 |
| II.35 | "Exter-Larionow-Gontcharova" Incl. corresp. re: possible exhibition of work by Gontcharova and Larionov |
ca. 1947 |
| II.36 | "French Theatre Design Exhib." 1 TL George Amberg (?) -Monroe Wheeler (Guranty Trust Co.)] |
ca. 1947 |
| II.37 | Stage Designs for the Ballet Society. "Ballet Society Exhibition" |
1947-48 |
| II.38a | "Jones Circulating Show" C/E version of MoMA Exh. #285, Stage Design by Robert Edmond Jones. |
1948 |
| II.39 | "Italian Exhibition" Corresp. re: proposed contemporary Italian art exhibition |
1948 |
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Series III. Dance Index Publication |
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The Dance Index, created by Lincoln Kirstein, was issued between January 1942 and Spring 1949. Lincoln Kirstein, Paul Magriel, and Baird Hastings were its first editors. |
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| Folder | Title | Date |
| III.40 | "Dance in Film ( Dance Index)" Incl. news article, correspondence (responses), and printed matter |
1945-47 |
| III.41 | "Dance in Film ( Dance Index)" Incl. publication: Donald Windham, ed. Dance Index. v. IV. no. 5; May 1945 |
ca. 1944-45 |
| III.42 | "Dance Film Library" Incl. corresp, memos |
1943-48 |
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| Box | Series | Folder |
| 1 | I | I.1-I.19 |
| 2 | II | II.20-II.29 |
| 3 | II | II.30-II.39 |
| 4 | III | III.40-III.42 |