Legacy Finding Aid for Manuscript and Photograph Collections 801 K Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001 What are Finding Aids? Finding aids are narrative guides to archival collections created by the repository to describe the contents of the material. They often provide much more detailed information than can be found in individual catalog records. Contents of finding aids often include short biographies or histories, processing notes, information about the size, scope, and material types included in the collection, guidance on how to navigate the collection, and an index to box and folder contents. What are Legacy Finding Aids? The following document is a legacy finding aid – a guide which has not been updated recently. Information may be outdated, such as the Historical Society’s contact information or exact box numbers for contents’ location within the collection. Legacy finding aids are a product of their times; language and terms may not reflect the Historical Society’s commitment to culturally sensitive and anti-racist language. This guide is provided in “as is” condition for immediate use by the public. This file will be replaced with an updated version when available. To learn more, please Visit DCHistory.org Email the Kiplinger Research Library at [email protected] (preferred) Call the Kiplinger Research Library at 202-516-1363 ext. 302 The Historical Society of Washington, D.C., is a community-supported educational and research organization that collects, interprets, and shares the history of our nation’s capital. Founded in 1894, it serves a diverse audience through its collections, public programs, exhibits, and publications. THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, D.C SPECIAL COLLECTIONS FINDING AID Title: MS 0741 Mary Day collection, 1930-2006 (Bulk: 1965-1985) Processor: Colleen McKnight and Judy Estey Date: March 2010 Biographical Note: “Mary Day [1910-2006] was born on Jan. 25, 1910, in Washington, where she studied with [Lisa] Gardiner, who had danced with Anna Pavlova's company. After founding the Washington School of Ballet in 1944, both women presented their students in children's ballets, often with the National Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Gardiner had called her small performing group the Washington Ballet, a title that was retained when the troupe was reorganized and Ms. Gardiner became artistic adviser in 1956. She died in 1958. Ms. Day, whose drive to establish ballet in Washington was accompanied by a brisk elegance, then directed the small company with Frederic Franklin, a star of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. When Mr. Franklin left in 1961 to form a new company, the National Ballet, in Washington, Ms. Day shifted her attention to her school, adding an academic wing. The National Ballet folded in 1974, and Ms. Day reorganized the Washington Ballet as a professional company in 1976. She was artistic director from 1976 to 1999, when she was succeeded by Septime Webre. She retired as director of the school in 2003.” - Excerpt from: Anna Kisselgoff. "Mary Day, Teacher of Ballet, Dies at 96." [Obituary] New York Times. 13 Jul 2006, Late Edition (East Coast) Scope and Content Note:. The Mary Day collection consists of books, photographs, correspondence, magazine and newspaper articles, programs, business records, publicity materials, scrapbooks, and memorabilia related to Day's early career as a dancer and her work with the Washington Ballet Company and Academy. The collection also contains "dancer files" which include correspondence, press clippings and programs for select Washington Ballet Academy students including such notables as Shirley MacLaine, Choo San Goh, and Kevin McKenzie. The collection has been arranged into 10 series: SERIES 1: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1969-2000, consists of letters written directly to and from Mary Day instead of correspondence sent through the Washington Ballet Academy or company. 1 SERIES 2: BUSINESS PAPERS, 1960-2004, consists of correspondence, contracts, tour itineraries, financial records, memos, a musical score with choreography notes, and governing documents relating primarily to the activities of the Washington Ballet with some materials pertaining to the Washington School of the Ballet. This series has been divided into two subseries: SUBSERIES 1: GENERAL RECORDS, 1969-2002 SUBSERIES 2: FOREIGN TOURS, 1960-2004, consists of materials, including programs, publicity materials, contacts, itineraries, and memos from the Washington Ballet’s performances abroad primarily during the 1980s. SERIES 3: WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF THE BALLET, 1962-2002, contains programs, photographs, articles, and letters relating to the Washington School of the Ballet. This series also includes materials from the now-defunct Washington Ballet Academy (where students took both academic and dance classes). SERIES 4: DANCER FILES, 1962-2002, contains correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and programs documenting the careers of several Mary Day students. Prominent names include actress and entertainer, Shirley MacLaine; Kevin McKenzie , Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre; and Choo San Goh, Choreographer and Artistic Associate for the Washington Ballet during the 1980s. SERIES 5: PROGRAMS AND PROMOTIONAL, 1933-2004, consists mostly of collected programs with some newspaper clippings and promotional materials relating to either Mary Day and/or the Washington Ballet; also includes a few non-Day related programs. SERIES 6: PUBLICITY AND PRESS, ca. 1930-2006, contains newspaper clippings, and magazine articles related to Mary Day or the Washington Ballet; includes Mary Day obituaries from her death in 2006; and the Washington Ballet periodical, “In Motion.” SERIES 7: PHOTOGRAPHS, circa 1930-1996 and undated, contains both informal personal and production snapshots and professionally photographed production stills, publicity shots, and professional portraits. The majority of photographs are undated and a significant number of are oversized. The series has been divided into two subseries: SUBSERIES 1: PRODUCTION SNAPSHOTS AND STILLS, 1967-1969 and undated SUBSERIES 2: PUBLICITY SHOTS AND PROFESSIONAL PORTRAITS, ca. 1930- ca.1990 SUBSERIES 3: INFORMAL SNAPSHOTS, 1958-1996 SERIES 8: SCRAPBOOKS, 1956-1985, contains photographs and other clippings of dancers related to Mary Day and the Washington Ballet, including a scrapbook dedicated to Amanda McKerrow, the first American to receive a gold medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow. Some of these scrapbooks are labeled; some scrapbooks also contain photographs that are not attached to the pages. SERIES 9: LIBRARY, undated, contains books about ballet collected by Mary Day. 2 SERIES 10: MEMORABILIA, ca. 1930-ca. 1990, contains plaques, awards, posters, certificates, artwork, and other memorabilia related to Day's tenure at the Washington Ballet and Washington Ballet School. Also includes Ana Pavlova ballet shoes. Donor: Elvi Moore, 2006.008 Size: 12.00 Cubic Feet Restrictions: None Related Materials: None Container List: SERIES 1: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1969-2000 Container 1: Correspondence China, 1988 and undated Sally Trammel Correspondence, 1994 and undated Louis Tupler Correspondence, 1997-1998 and undated Martin Von Hamel Correspondence, 1990 Miscellaneous Postcards and Cards, 1970-2000 and undated Mark Neal Correspondence, 1969-1985 Miscellaneous Personal Correspondence, 1967-2003 and undated SERIES 2: BUSINESS PAPERS SUBSERIES 1: GENERAL RECORDS, 1969-2002 Washington Ballet incorporation/bylaws/Board of Directors records, 1978-1983 Gala/Fundraiser Invitations, 1964-2000 Applications – rejected NEA, October 1979 Nutcracker Correspondence, 1969-1975 Publication, Ballet Letter, 1982 Disgruntled Correspondence, 1966-1994 Miscellaneous Company Correspondence/Memorandums, 1976-1983 3 Container 1 Continued: CAMI Expenses, 1980-1981 Jacob's Pillow Correspondence, 1959-1980 Critic's Correspondence, 1965-1970 Artistic Director Job Description, 1977, 1979 Menotti's "The Unicorn, The Gorgon, and the Manticore," Washington Cathedral, 1965-1975 Cinderella musical score with choreography notes, undated Spring Series, Miscellaneous Financial Records, 1979 Frederick Marketing, 1979 Mikhail Baryshnikov, 1978-1979 Annapolis Tour, 1981 City Dance, 1980 North Carolina Tour, 1977-1980 Venue Research, ca. 1980s Washington Ballet Accomplishments, 1980 Baltimore Lyric Theatre Contracts/Correspondence, 1981 Goucher College Contracts/Correspondence, 1980-1982 NYC Tour, April 1982 Potomac Performances Inc. Contracts/Correspondence, 1982-1983 Leonardtown Contract/Correspondence, 1982 SUNY Stony Brook Contract/Correspondence, 1982 Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center Contract/Correspondence, 1983 The Pavilion at the Old Post Office Contract/Correspondence, 1983 Palm Beach Festival Contract/Correspondence, 1981-1983 4 Container 1 Continued: Carl Michel and Nutcracker Costume Dispute, 1984 Dancer's Handbook, Company Rosters and Schedules, Miscellaneous Company Production Records, 1985-1991 New York and California Tour Itineraries, ca. 1980-1989 Korea Olympic Arts Festival Correspondence, 1987 Southern Tour, Spring 1982 School and Company Reunions, Anniversaries, 1981-1997 [includes some photographs] Dance DC, 2000-2002 Visas, 1979-1981 Miscellaneous Press Releases, 1981 SERIES 2: BUSINESS RECORDS SUBSERIES 2: FOREIGN TOURS, 1960-2004 Singapore Programs, 1985 China, 1985 European Tour, 1982 Far East Tour, 1988 Penang-Festival Program, 1986 Columbia, 1982 South America, 1984, 1993 Spain Tour, 1989 Singapore, 1982 Far East Tour [3 Folders],