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Creator
La Meri, 1898-1988
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 207
Physical description
6 linear feet (8 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Guide to the La Meri Papers, *(S)MGZMD 207. 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.

La Meri was a dancer of ethnic dances, a teacher of ethnic dance and a writer of poetry. She taught Mexican and Spanish and East Indean dance. She established small companies that both toured and performed at festivals. La Meri's school during the 1940s and 1950s was named ethonoligic Dance Center. She taught at Jacob's Pillow during the 1960s.

Biographical/historical information

Dancer, teacher, and writer, La Meri (1899-1989) was a pioneer in the field of ethnic dance. Born Russell Meriwether Hughes in Louisville, Kentucky, she moved to San Antonio, Texas at the age of twelve. La Meri (who was known by friends as “Dickie”) studied several art forms as a child, before settling on becoming a dancer after meeting Guido Carreras (who later became her husband) in New York City. After a few years working in local movie theaters in San Antonio, she moved to New York and found work in the company of Spanish dancer, Maria Montero, as well as in vaudeville. It was during an engagement in Mexico City that she adopted the name, La Meri and continued her study of Mexican and Spanish dance forms. Establishing a small company, La Meri began touring the world as an ethnic dancer from 1928 through 1930. In 1940, she established the School of Natya with Ruth St. Denis in New York, where she taught East Indian dance. The school was renamed the Ethnologic Dance Center in 1943 and operated until 1956. In 1960, she retired to Cape Cod, Massachusetts but continued to write extensively and began producing an annual summer ethnic dance festival from 1970-1979. In 1984, La Meri moved back to San Antonio and began her second retirement.

Scope and arrangement

The La Meri Papers contain a wide variety of materials that document aspects of the personal life and professional career of this well-known ethnic dance specialist and writer. Although the collection includes an assortment of personal and professional papers that cover La Meri’s school years and early experiences as a performer, the bulk of the collection consists of original manuscripts of La Meri’s poetry and prose writings. Some of these works were published under her real name, Russell Merriwether Hughes. There is virtually no material in the collection relating to La Meri’s touring days as a dancer or her many years as a teacher and presenter of ethnic dance in New York City. Of particular interest are the photographs, which consist mainly of snapshots covering the period of her two retirements, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and San Antonio, Texas. Also included in the collection are the numerous condolence letters sent to her companion, William Adams, as well as leaves from a scrapbook of obituary notices compiled by Adams.

The La Meri papers are arranged in three series:

  • Series I: Personal and Professional Papers, and
    1912 - 1992

    The Personal and Professional Papers series contains a wide range of material covering La Meri’s school years until the time of her death. Materials that date after her death include condolence letters sent to her companion, William Adams, as well as obituaries collected by Adams, the obituaries of another friend, and a program for a tribute in her honor. Of special interest are La Meri’s early letters to her mother. Photographs in this series mainly document her later years in retirement in San Antonio, Texas; a few images that date from an earlier period may be found in the Oversized Materials series.

  • Series II: Writings, and
    1924 - 1983

    The Writings series is comprised of numerous manuscript drafts and typescripts of La Meri’s poetry and prose. Although there are a few dance-related writings among the prose selections, this material chiefly consists of fiction and dramatic works. Many of the items are signed under La Meri’s real name, Russell Merriwether Hughes. Also included are Spanish translations of La Meri’s poems. Many of the manuscripts are highly fragile and should be handled with care.

  • Series III: Oversized Materials, and
    1927 - 1982

    The Oversized Materials series primarily consists of photograph albums, but also includes an early contract, a diploma, as well as original artwork most likely used in connection with publicity. One of the albums documents La Meri’s first retirement in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Another album contains one leaf with several images dating from the 1930s and 1940s.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift, Adams, William, 1993

Processing information

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

Separated material

  • 2 audio cassettes
  • decorative hair comb, undated, probably for Spanish dance performances.
  • Jewel box/business card case, undated
  • portrait miniature, undated, Of Spanish dancer

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.