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Creator
Herman, Mary Ann
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 334
Physical description
.42 linear feet (1 box)
Preferred Citation

Michael and Mary Ann Herman papers, (S) *MGZMD 334. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
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Michael Herman (1911-1996) and his wife, Mary Ann Herman (d.1992), were American folk dance teachers and authorities on folk dance. The collection dates from 1936 to 1956 and holds four items: Mary Ann Herman’s diary; a notebook belonging to Michael Herman containing his notes on folk dances; an autograph book; and a scrapbook.

Biographical/historical information

Michael and Mary Ann Herman were American folk dance teachers and authorities on folk dance. Both born to Ukrainian parents, Mary Ann Bodnar (d.1992) met Michael Herman (1911-1996) at a Ukrainian folk dance group in New York City in 1930. They married soon after, and would continue to dance and teach folk dance in the United States and internationally for the rest of their lives. In 1951, they established Folk Dance House in Manhattan and directed it until 1970. The United States State Department commissioned the Hermans and other individuals to tour 19 Japanese cities to teach folk dance in the 1950s. They opened and taught at numerous folk-dance camps on the East Coast. The Hermans edited and wrote for several folk-dance publications, including The Folk Dancer magazine, and the Folk Dances for All handbook.

Scope and arrangement

The collection dates from 1936 to 1956 and holds four items: Mary Ann Herman’s diary; a notebook belonging to Michael Herman containing his notes on folk dances; an autograph book; and a scrapbook.

The diary, dated 1936, documents Mary Ann’s daily activities at work and relates to her folk dancing. Michael Herman’s notebook contains detailed descriptions of different Ukrainian folk dances. Each dance is titled and subdivided into different stages. The scrapbook documents the folk dance program that was part of the U.S. State Department’s cultural exchange program in Japan. The scrapbook contains photographs, programs, certificates, tickets, newspaper clippings, and a detailed report of the program. Material is chiefly in Japanese and is labeled with typewritten descriptions in English. The autograph book contains autographs of Japanese students from the folk dance class in Tokyo in 1956.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Donated by the Estate of Michael and Mary Ann Herman, 1999.

Processing information

Compiled by Robyn Hjermstad, 2013

The four objects in this collection were placed into folders.

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

The author/creator retains copyright of materials. For information on obtaining permission to publish, contact the Dance Division at dance@nypl.org.