Loading...
Creator
Lynn, Carol, 1893-1987
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 209
Physical description
6.4 linear feet (17 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Carol Lynn Papers, (S) *MGZMD 209. 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 Carol Lynn Papers document the career of the dancer, educator and administrative director of Jacob's Pillow, Carol Lynn. The papers consist of a selection of photographs, programs, promotional material, a limited amount of correspondence and clippings, as well as an extensive collection of choreographic notes from Lynn’s time spent at Denishawn and teaching dance at her studio, the Carol Lynn School of Dance. Following her departure from Jacob’s Pillow, Lynn headed the dance program at Baltimore’s Peabody Institute of Music in addition to maintaining her own studio until 1952.

Biographical/historical information

Carol Lynn (whose given name was Carol Lynn Fetser) enjoyed a varied career as a dancer and educator, but she was best known for her association with Ted Shawn and Jacob’s Pillow. Born in 1893 in New York City, Lynn began childhood dance training at eight, studying folk dancing before the time of wide-spread ballet instruction in the United States. It was during a theatrical performance she attended with her mother when, seeing a dancer on point, Lynn's fascination with ballet began. She was sent to study ballet with the influential Madame Elisabetta Menzeli until the 1920s. Lynn then toured as a professional dancer with a small company that performed in vaudeville until the 1930s. It was at this time that she became more “ballet-conscious” having viewed performances by Colonel de Basil and his Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo in the United States.

Lynn began training at the Denishawn School in 1922, where she studied dance with such prominent teachers as Michel Fokine, Mikhail Mordkin, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn. By the 1930s, she became more involved at Jacob's Pillow by supervising the female students and then taking charge of administering the school. She was administrative director along with Ted Shawn of Jacob's Pillow University of Dance and Dance Festival from 1936 to 1960.

During the 1950s Lynn filmed dance extensively, notably at Jacob’s Pillow. Some of the dancers and companies she filmed include: Anna Pavlova, Barton Mumaw, the companies of José Limón, La Meri, Myra Kinch, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn, among others. Highlights include performances of The Moor’s Pavane choreographed by José Limón, La Valse danced by Le Clercq and Nicholas Magallanes, and Firebird: Pas de Deux. These films now reside in The Jerome Robbins Dance Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Following her departure from Jacob’s Pillow, Lynn headed the dance program at Baltimore’s Peabody Institute of Music in addition to maintaining her own studio until 1952. She died January 20, 1987 at the age of ninety-three.

Sources:

  • "Obituaries." Dance, July 1987, 81.
  • Kramer, Susan. "Carol Lynn, 1893-1987, dancer and educator extraordinaire." Aug 23, 2002.www.susankramer.com/carollynn.html (accessed June 23, 2008).

Scope and arrangement

The Carol Lynn Papers consist of correspondence, photographs, programs, promotional material, and choreographic notes from Lynn’s time spent at Denishawn and at Jacob’s Pillow. There is also some material pertaining to her time teaching dance at the Carol Lynn School of Dance. This collection contains no material from Lynn’s time at the Peabody Conservatory or her personal life.

The Carol Lynn papers are arranged in four series:

  • Series I: Professional Papers
    1905-1959; undated

    This series includes correspondence, clippings, and notebooks on dance technique. Dance technique materials are written descriptions of the exercises, combinations, movement studies, and exercises for ethnic techniques which were taught in Denishawn classes. Also included are books on dance technique, such as Rhythmical Analysis and Dance Composition and Gymnastic and Folk Dancing, course descriptions and some promotional material on Jacob’s Pillow, sheet music for choreographic works, and a collection of the newsletter Stage Letter Service. See Series IV: Oversized Materials for more professional papers.

  • Series II: Choreographic Notes
    1911-1940; undated

    This series consists of choreographic notes for dances arranged by various choreographers, including: Mme. Elizabetta Menzeli, Michel Fokine, Doris Humphrey, Louis H. Chalif, Nicolas Legat, Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, Sonia Serova, Veronine Vestoff, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn. There are also choreographic notes for Denishawn dances, including: Brahms Hungarian Dances, Javanese Ballet, Danse Chinoise, Dagger Dance, Soaring, Madrassi Nautch, and The Yogi. Also included are descriptions of dances and class work for children. The notes are arranged alphabetically by dance title, and when the choreographer (i.e.: Ruth St. Denis and/or Ted Shawn) is known, it is indicated on the folder list. In some cases, there are musical scores (some hand-written) for the dances included. See Series IV: Oversized Materials for more choreographic notes.

  • Series III: Photographs
    1906-1948; undated

    The series is comprised of black and white photographs of Carol Lynn and performances/studies of Denishawn dances. There are also photographs of the following dancers: Ruth St. Denis, Hanya Holm, Ted Shawn, Anna Pavlova, and Albia Kauan.

  • Series IV: Oversized Material
    1896-1941; undated

    This series includes oversized notebooks on dance techniques, scores, posters, and choreographic notes.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Carol Lynn Papers were donated to the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in 2003 by Dr. Helene Breazeale.

Processing information

Processed by Cynthia Tobar; Machine-readable finding aid created by Thea Constantine.

Related Material

Films by Carol Lynn reside at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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.