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{"value"=>"<p>The Cunningham Dance Foundation administrative files consist of Board of Directors material as well as contracts; financial ledgers; artist, film, and sound documents; and the papers of Merce Cunningham and CDF's archivist, David Vaughan. Board of Directors correspondence, arranged alphabetically, includes updates on ongoing projects, items of interest for individuals on specific committees (such as the Financial Committee), reminders to raise a yearly contribution, and resignation and acceptance letters. Board of Directors minutes, arranged by year, hold a record of each meeting, memos, and copies of financial and executive committee reports, as well as information about fundraising efforts. Board meetings covered the financial well being of CDF, election of new members, and strategies for growth.</p> <p>David Vaughan's files hold correspondence with current and past co-workers, lecture and study notes, writings, and notes compiled using information found in the archive. The notes include a dance-by-dance compilation of information relating to individual compositions by Cunningham. They consist of statements by Cunningham regarding the development or intention of the dance, remembrances of the dances by Vaughan and others, photocopies of articles and related published material, and quotes by Cunningham on the nature of dance in general. Vaughan's notes were ultimately used to compile his 1984 article, \"The Choreography of Merce Cunningham: Chronology and Commentary\" which is also held in these files.</p> <p>A limited selection of artist files hold correspondence and designs from visual artists and costume designers who worked with Cunningham. Such designs often preceded a dance – for example, Suzanne Gallo's file holds a fully formed design idea, including costumes, lighting, and sets with no particular dance attached. These files may also contain gallery loan information and summaries of the artist's work. Film files hold correspondence with collaborators on visual projects, video preservation documentation, transcripts and their translations, and video inventories. Sound files consist of correspondence with musical artists and composers, contracts, and scores produced for or used by Cunningham. There is also a small selection of late 19th/early 20th century published sheet music, some of which was used for <span class=\"title\">Dime a Dance</span> (1953). Since Cunningham did not choreograph specifically for music or vice versa, these materials were kept separately. There are also personnel files, financial ledgers, sample dance company contracts, and surveys.</p> <p>This series also contains a small selection of Merce Cunningham's personal files. These consist of incoming correspondence and \"notes to Merce\" from staff, presidential invitations and honorary degrees, and the Life Forms manuals for his dance creation software. There are also notes used by Cunningham to conduct classes, workshops, and rehearsal warm-ups.</p> <p>Electronic records in this series include files created while Elliot Caplan was the filmmaker in residence. These files include correspondence regarding screenings, personal appearances and lectures; reviews of his films; interview requests for Cage/Cunningham; and responses to requests for copies of his films or press kits. Michael Stier's electronic files hold correspondence regarding video licensing and distribution requests and inventories created during his time as CDF's film and video distribution coordinator. David Vaughan's records include drafts of Vaughan's histories of the company by year (1935-1996), video clips compiled for the CDF website, photographs of Cunningham and others, and some individual dance descriptions and biographical information on Merce Cunningham and other artists. There are also copies of the Board of Directors meeting minutes (1992-1999) which are accompanied by company budgets and some staff resumes.</p> <p>Arranged alphabetically by file type. Electronic records are currently unavailable.</p>"}