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Creator
Barker, Barbara M., 1938-
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 157
Physical description
12 linear feet (29 boxes)
Language
English
Preferred Citation

The Barbara Barker Papers, (S)*MGZMD 157. 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.

This collection documents the research material collected by Barbara Barker. The collection spans ca. 1833-1998. It consists of correspondence, extensive clippings from books, and newspapers of the mid-to-late 1800’s. There are also illustrations, slides, photographs and negatives.There is no personal material in the collection.

Biographical/historical information

Barbara Mackin Barker Warner was born in Seattle in 1938. Her father was the geologist Joseph Hoover Mackin. She danced professionally with Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah and as a Bluebell Girl in revues at the Lido in Paris.

She received an M.F.A. degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she taught in the American Studies program. In 1986 she left Texas to lead the Dance Department at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis/St. Paul. In 1999 the university named its new dance building for her.

In 1998, when she retired from teaching, Barker began the De Mille Project. The project brought together former dancers from Broadway productions by Agnes De Mille and had them teach their roles to young dancers. These sessions where taped. The National Inititative to Preserve American Dance (http://www.danceusa.org/programs_publications/nipad.htm), cited the project as a model of documentation.

Barker was an authority on 19th century American ballet and musical entertainments. She was the author of Ballet or Ballyhoo: The American Careers of Maria Bonfanti, Rita Sangalli and Giuseppina Morlacchi. She was also the editor of Bolossy Kiralfy: Creator of Great Musical Spectacles. At the time of her death, Barker was working on a book about De Mille’s choreography.

Barbara Barker died January 3, 2002.

Scope and arrangement

The Barbara Barker papers span the years 1833-1998 and consist of correspondence, research material, clippings, photographs, and slides. The collection includes some correspondence between Barbara Barker and Agnes De Mille.

The collection’s importance lies in its documentation of the research materials used to write her dissertation that she then made into her first book Ballet or Ballyhoo: The American Careers of Maria Bonfanti, Rita Sangalli and Giuseppina Morlacchi. Barker began researching the choreography of Agnes De Mille for a book, the collection contains voluminous material on De Mille’s life and work.

Titles of file folders are named from Barker’s organization. Where possible explanations are given to help the researcher understand the material in the folder.

The Barbara Barker papers are arranged in four series:

  • Series I: Dissertation and Other Writings
    1981 - 1987

    This series contains research material used to write Barker’s dissertation, as well as other published articles for magazines and journals.

    • Sub-series 1 - Dissertation, 1981
    • Sub-series 2 - Barbara Barker articles
  • Series 2: Ballet or Ballyhoo Research Notes, ca.
    1833 - 1982

    This series contains research material about musical theater, burlesque, ballet and other forms of popular entertainment of the mid-to-late-nineteenth century. There are newspaper and magazine clippings from the era, as well as copies of book chapters relating to the time and subject. See also Series IV: Illustrations of this collection, for many of the illustrations used in the published work, Ballet or Ballyhoo: The American Careers of Maria Bonfanti, Rita Sangalli and Giuseppina Morlacchi

  • Series III: Agnes De Mille Research
    1924 - 1996

    This series contains research material about Agnes De Mille’s professional career. There are newspaper and magazine clippings from all her works, choreography notes, published articles written by De Mille and correspondence between Barbara Barker and De Mille.

  • Series IV: Illustrations, slides, photographs
    undated

    This series contains illustrations, slides and photographs.

    • Sub-series 1: Ballet or Ballyhoo, undated
    • Sub-series 2: Slides, undated
    • Sub-series 3: Negatives and Photographs, undated

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Barbara Barker Papers were donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 2001 by the Barbara Barker Estate.

Processing information

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

Separated material

  • Adelina Genne and T. Karsavina interview
  • Agnes De Mille, 1995, Jan. 22
  • An Apology for the Dance
  • Choreography notes, Amy (the Informer)
  • Choreography notes box 33 (not transcribed)
  • Continuation of An Apology for Dance
  • De Mille, Karsavina Genee
  • De Mille lecture
  • De Mille lecture
  • De Mille scenarios
  • De Mille speech
  • Gemze on Agnes, interview 2
  • Howard’s retirement
  • Houston Speech (stuff on clothing)
  • Jerome Robbins 1 & 2
  • Jerome Robbins 3
  • Josu Gallastegui—music for ballet class
  • Loren Hightower and unidentified, transcribed
  • The Prude Memorial, 1988, Sept. 19
  • Smith A and B, not transcribed
  • Smith 2A
  • S)*MGZMD 37 Box 33
  • (S)*MGZMD 100—speeches on women
  • Blank Micro-cassette
  • 8mm video cassette Oklahoma
  • Microfilm = UT, Cambiasi, Pompeo
  • New York Figaro v. 1, 1876

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.