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Creator
Williamson, Liz
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 187
Physical description
18.47 linear feet (26 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Liz Williams Papers, (S)*MGZMD 187. 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 Liz Williamson Papers contain materials related to Liz Williamson's many years as a professional dancer and jazz teacher. Much of this collection pertains to her professional engagements as teacher or lecturer on jazz dance. These materials help show the spread of interest in jazz dance and jazz teaching and the importance of Liz Williamson's role in promoting jazz dance.

Biographical/historical information

Liz Williamson was born in 1919 in North Carolina. The granddaughter of Colonel James Hunter Young of Raleigh, N. C. Elizabeth Anne Ray attended the Palmer Memorial Institute where she met her future husband William Elliott Williamson. A member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she graduated from Radcliffe College with honors and a degree in Romance Language. She graduated from New York University with a Masters of Dance. Liz Williamson studied dance, including modern, with Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Martha Hill, Huapala, and Martha Graham. Her jazz mentor was Luigi.

As a dancer, Liz Williamson performed in the New York City Center 1950s productions of Finian's Rainbow, Carmen Jones, and Faust. She appeared in the Cape May Playhouse's productions of The Follies of 1910 and The Boyfriend. In the 1950s she appeared with YMHA the Merry-Go-Rounders. She appeared on the Jackie Gleason Show in the 1953 production of Tawny; on the Paul Winchell Show in 1953, and on NBC in the 1957 production Green Pastures. She also had a successful career as a solo dancer and a nightclub cabaret act. In 1958 she performed Blues Suite as a member of Alvin Ailey's first dance company. Liz Williamson performed under the names Elizabeth Williamson, Elizabeth Williams, Liz Williamson, and Liz Williams.

As a dance educator, Liz Williamson served on the faculties of Howard University, Tuskegee Institute, Young Women's Christian Association of Springfield Mass, and Bennett College of Greensboro, S. C. In 1948 she was appointed dance instructor at Fieldston of the Ethical Culture schools of New York. In 1959 she joined the faculty of the Dalton School where she remained into the 1970s. From the 1960s until her death, Williamson taught the methods and theory of jazz dance to dance students and dance teachers at classes and at festivals in the United States and in several foreign countries. Numerous students learned her methods of "Happy Dancing!" She also served as judge at several competitions. In 1973 she was the first artist-in-residence at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival where she taught students jazz and choreographed The Many Faces of Jazz for 65 dancers. In 1979 she choreographed Shindig: The Sounds of the '60s on Stage for Downstairs at City Center. Williamson also wrote several articles on the history of jazz for Dance Magazine as well as moderated or appeared on several panels on dance history and choreography.

Among her awards and honors, in 1976 Liz Williamson received the Elsa Heilich Kempe Award for her contribution and dedication to the art of dance from the New York City Chapter of the Dance Masters of America. She also received the National Dance Association's Plaudit award for dedicated and inspiring teaching of dance. She was selected for inclusion in the First Edition of the Directory of Distinguished Americans for Contributions to the Art of Dance and was chosen for bibliographical entry into the American Biographical Institute's Book of Honor. In 1989 she received the Radcliffe College Alumnae Achievement Award.

Liz Williamson died of a heart attack at 76 on January 10, 1996 and was survived by her daughter Wonza and a grandson.

Scope and arrangement

The Liz Williamson Papers contain correspondence, clippings, publicity and advertising materials, choreography, photographs, and reference materials related to her years as a professional dancer and jazz teacher. Much of this collection pertains to her professional engagements as teacher or lecturer on jazz dance. These materials help show the spread of interest in jazz dance and jazz teaching and Liz Williamson's role in promoting jazz. Of particular interest are the files of choreographic notation she created for teaching and presenting jazz dance to her students and the files of professional engagements which show Liz Williamson's influence on the field of jazz in particular and dance in general. Also of interest are Williamson's scrapbooks which detail her evolution from student to professional dancer to professional dance instructor. The collection contains little material of a personal nature.

The Liz Williamson papers are arranged in eight series:

  • Series I: Correspondence
    1949 - 1989

    Series contains correspondence primarily related to Liz Williamson's professional career. Materials concern arrangements for teaching dates, arrangements for advertisements, letters from students, and thank you cards from recent students. Series also includes some personal correspondence.

  • Series II: Choreographic Notes, ca.
    1949 - 1975

    Series contains choreographic notes and dance exercises created by Liz Williamson for teaching and performances. Choreography consists of handwritten or typed dance steps and routines often choreographed to a specific piece of listed music. Includes revisions.

  • Series III, Professional Engagements
    1955 - 1990

    Series contains materials related to Liz Williamson's professional career as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and jazz authority. Materials include correspondence, choreography, travel information, publicity materials, clippings, and photographs.

  • Series IV: Writings
    1937 - 1977

    Series contains materials related to Liz Williamson's professional and personal writings. Files include the series of articles Williamson wrote for Dance Magazine and the proposals Williamson wrote regarding the potential of creating a book from the series. The series also includes Williamson's notebooks and loose notepaper containing notes for choreography and articles as well as several of Williamson's student papers.

  • Series V: Reference materials
    1962 - 1988

    Series contains materials Liz Williamson owned as reference materials for her profession as dance instructor and well as clipping and materials she collected about her field. Materials include published handbooks from the Dance Masters of America as well the instruction books to several dance records. Series also includes clippings and materials Williamson collected on Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, and Mel Tomlinson.

  • Series VI: Photographs
    undated

    Series contains primarily publicity photographs and negatives related to Williamson's career as dance educator.

  • Series VII: Scrapbooks
    1947 - 1984

    Series consists of scrapbooks containing materials related to Liz Williamson's evolving professional career. Scrapbooks include correspondence, telegrams, clippings, show materials, and photographs.

  • Series VIII: Oversized, ca.
    1970s

    Series includes two oversized items from Liz Williamson: a cover from Jazz Dance & Jazz Gymnastics by Uta Fischer-Munstermann with an introduction by Liz Williamson and the poster from Shindig: the Sounds of the '60s on Stage.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Liz Williamson Papers were dontated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 1996.

Processing information

Processed by Whitney E.Berman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Whitney E. Berman.

Separated material

  • Award Plaques
    • Certification of Proclamation stating that the Publications board of the American Biographical Institute proclaimed Liz Williamson a fellow member and one chosen for biographical entry in the Institute's Collector Edition Book of Honor, 3rd ed.
    • Elsa Heilich Kempe Award of the New York City Chapter #26 of the Dance Masters of America, inc, presented to Liz Williamson for her contribution and dedication to the art of dance. Nov. 7, 1976.
    • Plaque certifying that Liz Williamson was included in The Directory of Distinguished Americans First Edition for Contributions to the Art of Dance.

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.

Alternative form available

{manditory if applicable - statement regarding availability of collection on microfil, in published form, etc.}manditory if applicable - statement regarding availability of collection on microfil, in published form, etc.