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Creator
Karmon Israeli Dancers & Singers
Call number
(S)*MGZMD 304
Physical description
.21 linear feet (1 box)
Preferred Citation
Karmon Israeli Dancers records, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The Karmon Israeli Dancers was a dance group based in Israel, founded by and featuring the choreography of Jonathan (Yonaton) Karmon. The Karmon Israeli Dancers records consist of administrative records for the group's tour of London, Toronto, and New York City during approximately April to June 1963, including contracts, administrative correspondence, budgets and financial records, international travel records, publicity information, insurance records, hand-written notes, and typed biographies of both Alex Cohen (producer) and Jonathan Karmon (choreographer).

Biographical/historical information

The Karmon Israeli Dancers was a dance group based in Israel, founded by and featuring the choreography of Jonathan (Yonatan) Karmon (b. circa 1932). Karmon was taken to Israel as a child by the Red Cross during World War II, and eventually became a prominent figure in the development of Israeli dance and culture. His work includes organizing dance festivals and cultural events in Israel and Europe, and directing and choreographing Broadway productions based on Israeli culture, in addition to creating the Karmon Israeli Dancers.

In 1958 the Karmon Israeli Dancers debuted in the United States of America on the Ed Sullivan Show, and then began touring Europe, North America and South America, presenting Karmon's style of modern dance. During the spring and early summer of 1963, the group toured London, Toronto, and New York City in performances presented by notable Broadway producer Alexander H. Cohen. During this time the group was managed by Gil Shiva, who was a principal correspondent with Cohen in organizing the group's tour.

Scope and arrangement

The Karmon Israeli Dancers records consist of administrative records for the group's tour of London, Toronto, and New York City during approximately April to June 1963, mostly documenting the preparations and logistics needed for international travel and performances. The files include programs or announcements for each of the three theaters (Royale Theatre in New York, O'Keefe Center in Toronto, and Saville Theater in London); contracts; a fan letter; budgets and financial records including checks, payroll lists for dancers, musicians, and other group members, and box office statements; international travel records including petitions for visas; publicity information; insurance policies; notes; telegraph and letter correspondence between Alexander Cohen, Gil Shiva, and others; and typed biographies of both Alex Cohen (producer) and Jonathan Karmon (choreographer). The notes include a one-page list of a scenic set-up as well as notes on itineraries and travel logistics. The telegraph and letter correspondence discuss travel arrangements, shipping of costumes and equipment, program information, and musicians needed for the performances.

Material in the collection is in English, with some notes in Hebrew.

Scrapbooks and photographs previously separated from the collection are cataloged under the classmark *MGZEA.

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by document type.

Administrative information

Custodial history

Transferred from the Theatre Collection in 1973.

Source of acquisition

Unknown.

Processing information

Compiled by Katie Daniels, St. John's University, 2013.

Scrapbooks and photographs were removed prior to processing and have been cataloged separately. At the time of processing, there was no existing original order to the records. They have thus been grouped by document type and placed into folders.

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

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.