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Creator
Clark Center for the Performing Arts (New York, N.Y.).
Call number
*MGZEB 21-0010
Physical description
3.33 linear feet (8 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Clark Center photographs, *MGZEB 21-0010. 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.

The Clark Center for the Performing Arts was an arts organization founded in 1959 under the guidance and ethos of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. This collection documents the Center's programming from 1972 until 1980, under the direction of Louise Roberts.

Biographical/historical information

The Clark Center for the Performing Arts was an arts organization founded in 1959 under the guidance and ethos of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. The center was driven to make dance accessible to all and create diversity in its presentation of new talent and emerging dance companies.

Louise Roberts became the Clark Center's fifth director and supported the dancers and choreographers from 1970 to 1986. During this time, the Clark Center struggled to find a permanent home. In 1974 the building where the Center was based was sold, and the school and performances were temporarily held in the City Univerity of New York, or CUNY, Graduate Center Mall on West 42nd Street until 1978. The 1980 season was performed at the Symphony Space Performing Arts Center. During this time, Roberts was organzing to find a permanent space for the Clark Center in the theater district but struggled with the city and fundraising and ultimately resigned from the organization in 1986.

Despite their real estate struggles, the 1970s were a very busy time for the Clark Center. Roberts continued the Center's New Choreographers series, Women Solo Week and beginning in 1975, the Summer Dance Festival. The performances included the work of dancers Loretta Abbot and Al Perryman, Pepsi Bethel, Charles Moore, Lucinda Ransome, and Kei Takei, as well as showcasing the work of smaller dance companies such as the Asian American Dance Theatre, Ballet Hispánico, and Philadanco.

Scope and arrangement

This Clark Center Photographs documents the performances and programming held in the City University of New York Mall located on 42nd street from 1972 until 1978 and the group's performance in 1980 at Symphony Space. The center's focus was presenting emerging dancers and modern dance companies. A dominant figure in the materials is Louise Roberts, Clark Center's director from 1970 to 1986, and compiler of this collection.

The collection is comprised of photographic negatives and contact sheets of performances and rehearsals. The collection has a particular focus on the summer programming and the New Choreographers series.

Most performances include both contact sheets and corresponding negatives. Still, some lack contact sheets and contain only negatives, and Carolyn Cord's Women Solo Week performance is missing corresponding negatives.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Unknown

Processing information

Processed by Emily P. Dunne in 2021

Separated material

These photographs were removed from the Clark Center for the Performing Arts (New York, N.Y.) collection (S) *MGZMD 176. There may be some overlap amoung contact sheets, but this collection contains the original negatives for many of the performances.

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