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Creator
Joel, Lydia
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 139
Physical description
32 boxes
Language
English
Preferred Citation

Lydia Joel Papers, (S)*MGZMD 139. 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.Restrictions apply

This collection documents the life of Lydia Joel, a dancer, educator, editor, writer and producer. The collection spans the years 1906-1993 and consists of correspondence, personal papers; teaching notes, grant applications, research material, scripts, student papers and tests. There are clippings, photographs, programs and posters.

Biographical/historical information

Lydia Joel was born Lydia Tarnower on July 27, 1914 in New York City. Her father Abraham Tarnower, a Russian Jew, immigrated to New York in 1906 from Warsaw, Poland. Her mother was the former Helen Mandel. Joel graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in English. She also attended summer sessions at Cornell University.

Lydia Joel studied ballet at the School of American Ballet, as well as studying modern dance with Harald Kreutzberg and Hanya Holm. At Bennington in 1937, Joel danced in the premier of Trend Hanya Holm's depiction of social conflicts. In that same year she appeared in Max Reinhardt's production of The Eternal Road.

In 1938 Joel moved to Texas to begin teaching at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, she also taught at Southern Methodist University in Dallas from 1938 to 1944. During this time Joel also directed her own dance company.

Joel's first husband Gerhard Joel, was a conductor for the initial touring company of Oklahoma. After he died in 1946, she retained his name as her professional name. In 1953, she married Edwin Miller. He was the entertainment editor of Seventeen magazine. The Millers had two children, Eric and Diana (Leslie). Diana died in 1972.

Joel joined the staff of Dance Magazine in 1947 in the advertising department. By the time she left in 1969; she was Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. During her tenure the staff increased from 4 to 15 and the circulation had more than doubled.

In 1973, Lydia Joel began a teaching career at High School for the Performing Arts. Joel was teacher, Dance Department chairwoman and eventually vice principal. She produced the school's annual concerts, taught both in the classroom and studio, and was instrumental in arranging a performance by several dance students at the Spoleto Festival in Italy in 1982. The character of "Lydia Grant" played by Debbie Allen, in both the movie and television series Fame was based upon Lydia Joel.

Upon her retirement from High School for Performing Arts, Joel began an ambitious project of bringing an awareness of dance as a reflection of history. Dance Diary was proposed as a television series based on an awareness of dance as a reflection of history. Although scripts were written, research done, talent hired and grants awarded, the series never aired.

Lydia Joel died on May 26, 1992.

Scope and arrangement

The Lydia Joel papers span the years 1906-1993 and consist of correspondence, personal papers, teaching notes, grant applications, research material, scripts, student papers and tests. There are also clippings, photographs, programs and posters.

The collection is important in its documentation of the development of the Dance Department of the High School for the Performing Arts, but has no information about her tenure with Dance Magazine. There is however, limited information about her resignation from the magazine in December 1969.

The collection includes Joel's script for Catherine De Medici, Italian Queen of France, and the Beginnings of Ballet. This script was the first of what was to be a television series of "an awareness of dance as a reflection of history."

The Lydia Joel papers are arranged in seven series:

  • Series I: Correspondence
    1942 - 1992

    This series contains correspondence with Lydia Joel. There are several letters from major dance personalities including Merce Cunningham, Hanya Holm and Jacques D’Amboise.

  • Series II: Personal Papers
    1906 - 1993

    This series contains material about Joel’s personal life including, material about her immediate family the Millers, and her birth family the Tarnower’s. Also included is her collection of stamps from foreign countries

  • Series III: Professional Papers
    1965 - 1993

    This series contains material about Lydia Joel’s professional career from her time at the High School for the Performing Arts to her production work on the un-produced television series, Dance Diary.

  • Series IV: Dance Subject File
    1937 - 1992

    This series contains a wide range of subjects including dance from other countries, dance companies, education, festivals, programs, newsletters and mailing lists. Also included is information about dance festivals, conferences, programs, societies and schools. Additionally this series contains information about dancers, choreographers, composers, artists and writers.

  • Series V: Clippings
    1969 - 1991

    This series contains clippings of dance, dancers, interviews and material not related to dance.

  • Series VI: Photographs

    This series contains photographs used during Lydia Joel’s career. Also included are photographs that she took. They were during a trip to Europe in the 1930’s. She was a proficient photographer.

  • Series VII: Oversized Materials
    1930 - 1986

    This series contains photographs and posters. The photographs were taken while Joel was visiting Europe in the 1930’s. The posters are mainly of dance concerts from the High School of the Performing Arts.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Lydia Joel Papers were donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 1992 by Edwin Miller.

Processing information

Processed by Leslie Reyman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Leslie Reyman.

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.

Access restrictions

Photocopying prohibited.