{"value"=>"<p>The correspondence series contains letters to and from William Dollar and Yvonne Patterson, Todd Bolender, and others. Dollar and Patterson's correspondence with each other is rich in dance detail, as they were often separated by their work. They were not only husband and wife, but choreographers, dancers, teachers, founders and artists together. They discuss other dancers, the production of new works, why a certain dance was a failure or a success, and rehearsal details along with their personal life.</p> <p>The correspondence also contains a lengthy discourse between Todd Bolender and the couple, especially Patterson. Todd Bolender was a Balanchine trained dancer who became a noted teacher, choreographer and director. He led the Kansas City Ballet from 1980 to 1995, and those years are represented in this correspondence. This material is also especially rich, as Patterson and Bolender rediscovered each other late in life and the correspondence is filled with reminisces of the early days of the American Ballet Theatre. There is also family correspondence with Viola Patterson and Jane Alexander, the great-grand niece of Patterson's father Ambrose Patterson. Series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.</p>"}