Scope and arrangement
The Irene Dowd papers, dated 1972 to 2015, hold teaching materials and notes, writings for various academic activities, and audio and video recordings of dances and classes.
Teaching materials and notes are the most substantial part of the collection. They reflect courses and workshops taught by Dowd at institutions, conferences, and her private studio. Courses are predominantly represented by handouts and assignments, as well as notes, illustrations, and attendee lists. Teaching materials and notes are almost all written and compiled by Dowd, with some handouts repeated for versions of courses in different years, either with slight alterations or without. Common course subjects include kinesthetic anatomy of the limbs and spine, ideokinesis, and dance warm-ups. A large portion of the materials are for courses taught at Dowd's private studio and Canada's National Ballet School.
The collection also documents Dowd's professional activities outside of teaching. There are drafts for her articles in the International Encyclopedia of Dance and Dance Research Journal, materials relating to an imagery study, drafts and notes for her 1982 Eye on Dance appearance, and notes for exercise videos at Canada's National Ballet School. Dowd's illustrations and drafts for Equipoise: The Life and Work of Alfredo Corvino are also included, as well as documents for her New York City Artist Certification from the 1970s and 1980s.
Finally, video recordings primarily feature workshops, classes, warm-ups, and performances and rehearsals for dances choreographed by Dowd. Audio recordings include music accompaniment for dance warm-ups. All recordings date from 1991 to 2015.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three groups: Teaching Materials and Notes; Other Activities; and Audio and Video Recordings.