Scope and arrangement
The Isadora Bennett Collection covers a thirty-two year span, 1940-72. During this time, she and associates Richard Pleasant and Donald Duncan handled the public relations accounts for dance artists around the world. The bulk of the Collection was generated between 1950-65.
Manuscripts are in separate folders numbered 1 through 277 and arranged alphabetically by the names of clients or special events publicized by Bennett/Pleasant. Further breakdown of each folder places materials within one of six different series: correspondence (personal and professional); publicity (press release, reviews, articles, announcements, etc.); program and repertory notes; biographical sketches; records; and miscellaneous items.
Folders 278 through 292 contain manuscripts which reflect more upon Isadora Bennett, Richard Pleasant, or Donald Duncan than any of their clients. The bulk of this material is correspondence. Folders 293 through 310 contain scenarios, anonymously written manuscripts, miscellaneous materials, and contents of two notebooks created by Pleasant.
The strength of this collection lies in its consentration of publicity material. News releases offer a unique insight into the lives, careers, and activities of clients. Most of this is not likely to be found in the Dance Collection. Programs, repertory notes, and reviews can be located for a significant number of clients within the Dance Collection.
One of the largest accounts for Bennett/Pleasant was the Martha Graham Dance Company. Biographical material on Ms. Graham and her company members are placed in individual folders for each person. These folders are alphabetically arranged among all other folders in the Collection. A list of dancers for whom a folder was made is provided in Appendix I. Similarly, dance companies which toured under the Asia Society program that are filed separately have been listed in Appendix I also.
Appendix II is a partial list of clients handled by Bennett/Pleasant taken from a list in the Collection.
The Isadora Bennett collection is arranged in three series:
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Manuscripts are in separate folders numbered 1 through 277 and arranged alphabetically by the names of clients or special events publicized by Bennett/Pleasant. Further breakdown of each folder places materials within one of six different series: correspondence (personal and professional); publicity (press release, reviews, articles, announcements, etc.); program and repertory notes; biographical sketches; records; and miscellaneous items.
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Folders 278 through 292 contain manuscripts which reflect more upon Isadora Bennett, Richard Pleasant, or Donald Duncan than any of their clients. The bulk of this material is correspondence.
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Folders 293 through 310 contain scenarios, anonymously written manuscripts, miscellaneous materials, and contents of two notebooks created by Pleasant.