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Creator
Danspace Project (New York, N.Y.)
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 278
Physical description
102.92 linear feet (247 boxes); 2.3 gigabytes (323 computer files)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Danspace Project records, (S) *MGZMD 278. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.Restrictions apply

The Danspace Project was founded in 1974 at the St. Mark's Church In-The-Bowery in New York City to present, support, and encourage new work in dance and performance within a supportive environment. The Danspace Project records document over four decades of dance performances produced by, or affiliated with, the Danspace Project, as well as document the day-to-day management of a non-profit arts organization.

Biographical/historical information

The Danspace Project was founded in 1974 in New York City by dancers Barbara Dilley and Mary Overlie, and poet Larry Fagin in response to the lack of quality performance space options available to dancers and choreographers. Danspace sought to present, support, and encourage new work in dance and performance, by both young and more established artists, within a supportive environment that was condusive to experimentation and risk taking. To this end, Danspace commissioned and presented new work, supported choreographers and dancers at all stages of their careers, and produced dance performances.

The founders secured the stewardship of the landmarked St. Mark's Church In-The-Bowery, an Episcopalian church in the East Village, with performances taking place in the main sanctuary of the church. With this arrangement, they re-established an association and tradition which began in the 1920s and 1930s when many distinguished artists, including Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Ruth St. Denis, and Charles Weidman, gave performances at the church. A fire damaged the church in 1978 and performances were temporarily held at the Third Street Music School. By 1982, the St. Mark's Church space was reconstructed and the electronics underwent rewiring to support a full theatrical lighting and sound system.

Danspace sought to create a consistent membership base, and to ensure audience accessibility through broad based publicity, good press relations, and a low ticket price. Outreach included an annual open house and involvement with the local community by hosting a biannual Food for Thought dance benefit to raise money for neighborhood food distribution programs.

Danspace provided full support to artists, through administrative assistance, technical expertise, and publicity. Danspace staff consisted of a director, a technical coordinator, an office assistant, a development consultant, part-time office aides, and additional support staff hired on a project/performance basis. The director functioned as both artistic direction and managing direction, and was responsible for making artistic decisions, coordinating fundraising activities, and producing and implementing public relations and outreach to both the press and the community. Past directors included Larry Fagin, Cynthia Hedstrom, Terry Fox, Amy Lamphere, Mary Abrams and Laurie Uprichard. The current Executive Director and Chief is Judy Hussie-Taylor.

Danspace has an active Board of Directors that assisted in making policy decisions and fundraising. Additionally, there was an Artists Advisory Board that provided artists with the opportunity to participate in the formation of the Danspace's strategic and long-range planning process without the financial obligations of a board member.

Besides its regular programming, Danspace developed and sponsored special programs, events, festivals, symposia, and video and film projects. Festivals included improvisation festivals, like Dive In and DraftWork, and Libre-Echange, an annual series produced in association with the Tangente dance theater in Montreal. In 1981, Danspace initiated its Video Archive Project to document and preserve a record of dance history by filming performances. The EVENTS Program was founded in 1988 to allow choreographers and dancers to self-produce their work at Danspace. The Danspace Kids (formerly known as Kid Action) was founded by Elizabeth Streb to facilitate a performance workshops and space for young children.

Danspace continues to fulfill its mission today and remains artistically challenged, and challenging, by the evolving styles and definitions of dance, movement, performance, and theater. Notable choreographers who have presented their work at Danspace include Lucinda Childs, Seàn Curran, Douglas Dunn, David Gordon, Iréne Hultman, Bill T. Jones, John Kelly, Kenneth King, Bebe Miller, Meredith Monk, Steve Paxton, David Rousseve, and Nina Wiener.

Scope and arrangement

The Danspace Project records, dating from 1974 to 2010, document over four decades of dance performances produced by, or affiliated with, the Danspace Project, as well as document the day-to-day management of an arts non-profit.

The records include administrative files, including the files of the Board of Directors, financial records, development files, and production material. The bulk of the material consists of production material including general season files and artist files used in the curation and production of performances by season.

The Additions, dating from the 1990s to 2015, added significant material in three of the four series: Series II Financial Records, Series III Development Files, and Series IV Production Files. The audio and moving image materials mostly represent artists who performed or requested to perform at Danspace.

Series I: Administrative Files received minutes relating to the Board's activities.

Series II: Financial Records increased substantially, from the late 1990s to the 2000s, with documents about the operations of the corporation. These files are audits, bank statements, box office statements, budgets, invoices, quarterly accounts, and payroll.

Series III: Development Files expands with two additional subseries. The "Funding from Other Sources" mostly focuses on contributions, from the 1990s to the 2000s, with files for Dans/Creation Fund Appeal, Individual Contributions, Matching Gifts, and Membership Information. The second subseries, "Related Files," hold files that were generated by Danspace to document their work internally and externally with artistic organizations to promote individual artists and artistic companies. Cooperating organizations include the Dance/USA National Dance Project, and the New York State Dance Force (NYSDF). The NYSDF identifies itself as a consortium of dance activists committed to increasing the quantity and quality of dance activity throughout New York State. The files indicate that the Danspace Project partnered with NYSF to support performing artists and organizations under the leadership of past director Laurie Uprichard.

Series IV: Production Files includes updated information mostly for the Artist Files. These files include emerging and recurring performing artists and dance companies. Researchers should examine the artist files and programs for complete information. New material in this series are the DanceKid files, Submissions by Artists and the Sponsored Artists files.

The Danspace Project records are arranged in five series:

  • Series I: Administrative Files
    1974-2006
  • Series II: Financial Records
    1977-2008

    The General financial records are arranged by fiscal year and contain monthly, quarterly, and yearly fiscal reports, bank statements, invoices and petty cash receipts, and box office statements. Audits were usually done annually, and examined the statements of assets, liabilities, and funds. Box office statements list artist, performance date, audience numbers, and ticket sales, including reduced, TDF, and comp tickets. Invoices were submitted by, and represent the work of, box office managers, technical directors, and lighting directors. There is a gap in records from 1999-2004.

    The Umbrella Program files are arranged alphabetically. The Umbrella Program was created so that Danspace could function as the fiscal agent for artists who were funding and producing their own works. On behalf of the artists, Danspace managed their not-for-profit financial reporting and assisted in collecting and distributing funds.

  • Series III: Development Files
    1981-2010

    Series III is arranged by funding type, and within that, alphabetically. Though Danspace did collect revenue from ticket sales, it sought to give a larger portion of ticket sales to the artists by underwriting Danspace's operating costs through corporate donors, foundation grants, and government funding at the city, state, and national level. Additionally, Danspace hosted and sponsored benefits and special events throughout the year. Danspace also produced limited edition prints by Jenny Holzer (1988) and Robert Mangold (1991) which were sold to collectors. Files in this series contain grants and grant materials, event budgets, proceeds, thank-you letters, donor lists, notes, and production materials.

    This series expands with material about the Artists Advisory Board; Board Development Committee; Conferences; and the New York State Dance Force (NYSDF).

  • Series IV: Production Files
    1974-2007

    Production files are arranged into three subseries: Danspace Productions, the Bessies Awards, and the EVENTS Program. Danspace Productions make up the bulk of this series and reflect performances produced by Danspace. Files for this subseries are arranged in chronological order by season, and alphabetically within each season. Records prior to 1979 are fragmentary and contain only one file of general information. Later seasons are more robust and contain correspondence, artist files, press releases and news clippings, and programs. Artist files are arranged alphabetically by choreographer or company and are interfiled with files pertaining to special events like the annual Artist Advisory Board showcase, the Food for Thought benefits, and festivals like Dive-In. Artist files contain correspondence, biographies, fliers, photographs, press releases and news clippings, and project proposals. Programs and press releases include original drafts and mock-ups. Unsorted material includes programs and news clippings.

    The Bessies Awards were a New York-based dance and performance award that was founded in 1984 to recognize exceptional work done by directors, choreographers, and dancers. The award was named after noted dancer and choreographer Bessie Schonberg. Danspace presented the Bessies, along with Dance Theater Workshop and the Dance Department of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, from 1995-1997. Files contain nomination lists, Bessies committee files, event information, nomination lists, and meeting minutes.

    The EVENTS Program allowed choreographers to produce their own performances using the Danspace facilities. Artists would submit a performance proposal, and if accepted, would pay Danspace for use of the space, administrative assistance, and access to the Danspace mailing list and bulk mailing permit. Files for this subseries are arranged by season and contain correspondence, biographies, box office statements, fliers, photographs, press releases and news clippings, and project proposals.

  • Series V: Audio and Moving Image Materials
    2003-2007

Administrative information

Custodial history

Records were maintained by Danspace Project at the St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery prior to donation.

Source of acquisition

Donated by Danspace Project in 2001, 2006, and 2019.

Revision History

Additions processed by Valerie Wingfield (2021)

Processing information

Processed by Susan Malsbury in 2011.

Records were reboxed, but original folders were kept. Original folder titles and arrangement were maintained when apparent. Select invoices and documents were removed that contained personal financial information. Programs were removed prior to processing and integrated with the Jerome Robbins Dance Division's Clipping and Program Files.

Separated material

Video recordings from the Video Archive Project were donated to the library separately and were cataloged individually in the Jerome Robbins Dance Division.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Access restrictions

Inquiries regarding audio and moving image materials in the collection may be directed to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division (dance@nypl.org). Audio and moving image materials will be subject to preservation assessment and migration prior to access.