- Description
- 3 streaming audio files (approximately one hour and 55 minutes) : digital
- Summary
- Streaming audio file 1 (approximately 52 minutes). Unidentified female speaker introduces David Henshaw, chairman of Movement Studies at Middlesex Polytechnic [later merged into Middlesex University] in London, England; David Henshaw introduces Walter Terry mentioning some of his works and salient points of his career. Walter Terry begins with an anecdote about his dance performance in Cairo, Egypt during World War II; he identifies three major currents in dance in the United States: the ethnic, the classical or balletic, and the modern or non-conformist. With the aid of slides he outlines the historical development of each. His discussion of ethnic dance focuses initially on the traditions of Native Americans including the ghost dances and various characteristic drum rhythms; he discusses a number of ballets based on Native American themes and danced by Native American ballerinas; and notes that José Limón was a choreographer of Native American heritage; he continues with a discussion of the development of Black dance in the United States including the origins of tap dancing and the fame of the dancer Juba; minstrel shows; Black concert dance, in particular the pioneer Edna Guy; other noted African-American dancers and choreographers including Josephine Baker, Katherine Dunham Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, and Arthur Mitchell. He traces the American classical heritage including the dancing of John Durang, Anna Pavlova's touring in the United States, and the choreography of Agnes de Mille and Ruth Page. [Ends abruptly but continues directly on streaming audio file 2.]
- Streaming audio file 2 (approximately 12 minutes). Walter Terry continues to trace the heritage of classical dance in the United States including his discussion of works of Ruth Page, Jerome Robbins, Eugene Loring, Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, and George Balanchine. [Ends abruptly but continues on streaming audio file 3.]
- Streaming audio file 3 (approximately 51 minutes). [Begins abruptly.] Walter Terry continues to trace the heritage of classical dance in the United States including discussion of works of Eliot Feld, Twyla Tharp, and Gerald Arpino. Terry traces the heritage of modern dance in the United States beginning with Loïe Fuller and Isadora Duncan and including discussions of Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Hanya Holm, Helen Tamiris, Pearl Lang, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Alwin Nikolais, and Fred Astaire; dance on television; dance education in the United States today. A question and answer period follows; topics discussed include the role of modern dance in the popularization of Eastern religions and yoga; and dance education in the United States including how it has developed over the years as well as regional disparities in funding; Terry's closing remarks .
- Donor/Sponsor
- Gift of Walter Terry.
- National Initiative to Preserve American Dance.
- Alternative Title
- Dance Audio Archive
- Subjects
- Genre/Form
- History.
- Sound recordings.
- Note
- Lecture given by Walter Terry on the history of dance in the United States, in England; recorded on March 9, 1976.
- The sound quality is very good except for the remarks of the first speaker, which are relatively low in volume, and the questions from the audience, which, for the most part, are unintelligible.
- The processing and cataloging of this recording was made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. The support of the National Endowment for the Arts is also gratefully acknowledged.
- Title supplied by cataloger.
- Access (note)
- Access only on site at the research libraries of The New York Public Library.
- Call Number
- *MGZTO 7-800
- OCLC
- 37633230
- Author
Terry, Walter, speaker.
- Title
Lecture on the history of dance in America.
- Imprint
1976.
- Type of Content
spoken word
- Type of Medium
audio
- Type of Carrier
online resource
- Digital File Characteristics
audio file
- Event
Recorded on March 9, 1976 England
- Restricted Access
Access only on site at the research libraries of The New York Public Library.
- Original Version
Original format: one sound reel (approximately one hour and 55 minutes minutes); half-track; 7.5 ips; 7 in.; transferred to wav file and streaming file format in 2015: myd_mgzto7800_v01f01p01_sc, myd_mgzto7800_v01f01p02_sc, and myd_mgzto7800_v01f02_sc.
- Local Note
Former call number: *MGZTC 3-800
Former call number: *MGZT 7-800
- Local Note
Archival original: *MGZTO 7-800; 3 3/4 in. per sec.; 7 in. reel. Restored and rehoused in 2015 following water damage.
Dubbing master: *MGZTD 10-800; 7 1/2 in. per sec.; 10 in. reel; polyester.
Preservation funded by the National Initiative to Preserve American Dance.
- Connect to:
- Chronological Term
1700-1999
- Research Call Number
*MGZTO 7-800