- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"18.47 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"26 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*MGZMD 187", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"19833", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1937-1990", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1937/1990"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1937
- date_inclusive_end
-
1990
- keydate
-
1937
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Liz Williamson papers"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.</span> <span class=\"subarea\">Jerome Robbins Dance Division.</span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Liz Williamson Papers contain materials related to Liz Williamson's many years as a professional dancer and jazz teacher. Much of this collection pertains to her professional engagements as teacher or lecturer on jazz dance. These materials help show the spread of interest in jazz dance and jazz teaching and the importance of Liz Williamson's role in promoting jazz dance."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Liz Williamson papers, *MGZMD 187. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Williamson, Liz", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Liz Williamson was born in 1919 in North Carolina. The granddaughter of Colonel James Hunter Young of Raleigh, N. C. Elizabeth Anne Ray attended the Palmer Memorial Institute where she met her future husband William Elliott Williamson. A member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she graduated from Radcliffe College with honors and a degree in Romance Language. She graduated from New York University with a Masters of Dance. Liz Williamson studied dance, including modern, with Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Martha Hill, Huapala, and Martha Graham. Her jazz mentor was Luigi.</p> <p>As a dancer, Liz Williamson performed in the New York City Center 1950s productions of <span class=\"title\">Finian's Rainbow</span>, <span class=\"title\">Carmen Jones</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Faust</span>. She appeared in the Cape May Playhouse's productions of <span class=\"title\">The Follies of 1910</span> and <span class=\"title\">The Boyfriend</span>. In the 1950s she appeared with YMHA the Merry-Go-Rounders. She appeared on the <span class=\"title\">Jackie Gleason Show</span> in the 1953 production of <span class=\"title\">Tawny</span>; on the <span class=\"title\">Paul Winchell Show</span> in 1953, and on NBC in the 1957 production <span class=\"title\">Green Pastures</span>. She also had a successful career as a solo dancer and a nightclub cabaret act. In 1958 she performed <span class=\"title\">Blues Suite</span> as a member of Alvin Ailey's first dance company. Liz Williamson performed under the names Elizabeth Williamson, Elizabeth Williams, Liz Williamson, and Liz Williams.</p> <p>As a dance educator, Liz Williamson served on the faculties of Howard University, Tuskegee Institute, Young Women's Christian Association of Springfield Mass, and Bennett College of Greensboro, S. C. In 1948 she was appointed dance instructor at Fieldston of the Ethical Culture schools of New York. In 1959 she joined the faculty of the Dalton School where she remained into the 1970s. From the 1960s until her death, Williamson taught the methods and theory of jazz dance to dance students and dance teachers at classes and at festivals in the United States and in several foreign countries. Numerous students learned her methods of \"Happy Dancing!\" She also served as judge at several competitions. In 1973 she was the first artist-in-residence at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival where she taught students jazz and choreographed <span class=\"title\">The Many Faces of Jazz</span> for 65 dancers. In 1979 she choreographed <span class=\"title\">Shindig: The Sounds of the '60s on Stage</span> for Downstairs at City Center. Williamson also wrote several articles on the history of jazz for <span class=\"title\">Dance Magazine</span> as well as moderated or appeared on several panels on dance history and choreography.</p> <p>Among her awards and honors, in 1976 Liz Williamson received the Elsa Heilich Kempe Award for her contribution and dedication to the art of dance from the New York City Chapter of the Dance Masters of America. She also received the National Dance Association's Plaudit award for dedicated and inspiring teaching of dance. She was selected for inclusion in the First Edition of the Directory of Distinguished Americans for Contributions to the Art of Dance and was chosen for bibliographical entry into the American Biographical Institute's Book of Honor. In 1989 she received the Radcliffe College Alumnae Achievement Award.</p> <p>Liz Williamson died of a heart attack at 76 on January 10, 1996 and was survived by her daughter Wonza and a grandson.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Liz Williamson Papers contain correspondence, clippings, publicity and advertising materials, choreography, photographs, and reference materials related to her years as a professional dancer and jazz teacher. Much of this collection pertains to her professional engagements as teacher or lecturer on jazz dance. These materials help show the spread of interest in jazz dance and jazz teaching and Liz Williamson's role in promoting jazz. Of particular interest are the files of choreographic notation she created for teaching and presenting jazz dance to her students and the files of professional engagements which show Liz Williamson's influence on the field of jazz in particular and dance in general. Also of interest are Williamson's scrapbooks which detail her evolution from student to professional dancer to professional dance instructor. The collection contains little material of a personal nature.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The Liz Williamson papers are arranged in eight series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411130'>Series I: Correspondence</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1949 - 1989</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains correspondence primarily related to Liz Williamson's professional career. Materials concern arrangements for teaching dates, arrangements for advertisements, letters from students, and thank you cards from recent students. Series also includes some personal correspondence.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411158'>Series II: Choreographic Notes, ca.</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1949 - 1975</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains choreographic notes and dance exercises created by Liz Williamson for teaching and performances. Choreography consists of handwritten or typed dance steps and routines often choreographed to a specific piece of listed music. Includes revisions.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411181'>Series III, Professional Engagements</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1955 - 1990</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains materials related to Liz Williamson's professional career as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and jazz authority. Materials include correspondence, choreography, travel information, publicity materials, clippings, and photographs.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411335'>Series IV: Writings</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1937 - 1977</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains materials related to Liz Williamson's professional and personal writings. Files include the series of articles Williamson wrote for <span class=\"title\">Dance Magazine</span> and the proposals Williamson wrote regarding the potential of creating a book from the series. The series also includes Williamson's notebooks and loose notepaper containing notes for choreography and articles as well as several of Williamson's student papers.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411395'>Series V: Reference materials</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1962 - 1988</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains materials Liz Williamson owned as reference materials for her profession as dance instructor and well as clipping and materials she collected about her field. Materials include published handbooks from the Dance Masters of America as well the instruction books to several dance records. Series also includes clippings and materials Williamson collected on Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, and Mel Tomlinson.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411448'>Series VI: Photographs</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>undated</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series contains primarily publicity photographs and negatives related to Williamson's career as dance educator.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411457'>Series VII: Scrapbooks</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1947 - 1984</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series consists of scrapbooks containing materials related to Liz Williamson's evolving professional career. Scrapbooks include correspondence, telegrams, clippings, show materials, and photographs.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/dan/19833#c411464'>Series VIII: Oversized, ca.</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1970s</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Series includes two oversized items from Liz Williamson: a cover from <span class=\"title\">Jazz Dance & Jazz Gymnastics</span> by Uta Fischer-Munstermann with an introduction by Liz Williamson and the poster from <span class=\"title\">Shindig: the Sounds of the '60s on Stage</span>.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p> <ul> <li>Series I: Correspondence, 1949-1989</li> <li>Series II: Choreographic Notes, ca. 1949-1975</li> <li>Series III: Professional Engagements, 1966-1990 <ul> <li>Subseries 1: General, 1968-1990</li> <li>Subseries 2: Location, 1966-1985</li></ul></li> <li>Series IV: Writings, 1937-1977</li> <li>Series V: Reference Materials, 1962-1988</li> <li>Series VI: Photographs, undated</li> <li>Series VII: Scrapbooks, 1947-1984</li> <li>Series VIII: Oversized Materials, ca. 1970s</li></ul></p>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p> The Liz Williamson Papers were dontated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 1996.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p> <ul> <li>Award Plaques <ul> <li>Certification of Proclamation stating that the Publications board of the American Biographical Institute proclaimed Liz Williamson a fellow member and one chosen for biographical entry in the Institute's Collector Edition Book of Honor, 3rd ed.</li> <li>Elsa Heilich Kempe Award of the New York City Chapter #26 of the Dance Masters of America, inc, presented to Liz Williamson for her contribution and dedication to the art of dance. Nov. 7, 1976.</li> <li>Plaque certifying that Liz Williamson was included in The Directory of Distinguished Americans First Edition for Contributions to the Art of Dance.</li></ul></li></ul></p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.</p>"}
- altformavail
-
{"value"=>"<p> {manditory if applicable - statement regarding availability of collection on microfil, in published form, etc.}manditory if applicable - statement regarding availability of collection on microfil, in published form, etc.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Whitney E.Berman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Whitney E. Berman.</p>"}
- extent_statement
-
18.47 linear feet (26 boxes)
- date_start
-
1937
- date_end
-
1990