Scope and arrangement
The Ballet News photographs chronicle the magazine's coverage of people, companies, productions, and events in the dance industry from 1978 to 1985. While the material in the collection dates from 1948 to 1985, the bulk of the photographs feature companies and individuals who produced work from 1970 to 1985. The majority of the individuals and companies that appear in this collection are identified with ballet or modern dance. However, there are some tap, jazz, and contemporary dancers and companies in the photographs. Some material filed by production title and event are also found in the collection. The photographs consist largely of black-and-white professionally shot prints with some slides, contact sheets, and negatives. There are some prints and negatives that are reproductions of productions, costumes, and drawings of dancers from the 1800s, 1914, and the 1930s.
The Individuals grouping dates from the 1950s to 1985, and contains mainly headshots and photoshoots of various people in the dance industry. Present are dancers, directors, choreographers, company presidents, artistic directors, producers, conductors, composers, set designers, and even a figure skater. Included in this grouping are reproductions of drawings and prints from the 1800s, 1914, and the 1930s. Depending on the occupation of the individual, there are some shots of rehearsals, performances, sets, and costume drawings. Americans are heavily represented, with some Canadians, Japanese, and Europeans. Of note are Martha Graham, Maurice Sendak, Dorothy Hamill, Benjamin Harkavy, and Finis Jhung.
The Companies grouping spans 1948 to 1985, and includes mostly prints of American, Canadian, and British ballet and modern dance companies. The bulk of the photographs date from 1970 to 1985, and show rehearsals and performances by San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Houston Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, and Royal Ballet. Of note are prints of the 1982 American Ballet Theatre lockout, the 1981 protest of the Royal Ballet, and famous theaters.
The Productions and Events grouping spans 1972 to 1985, and documents various dance related stage and film productions, festivals, galas, seminars, and competitions. Included are reproductions of drawings of productions from the 1800s. The prints give an account of the types of events covered by Ballet News.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically within the following three groupings: Individuals; Companies; and Productions and Events.