Research Catalog

Title

Black dance collection, 1939-1990.

Author

Nash, Joe, 1919-2005

Supplementary Content

Finding aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Donor/Sponsor

Schomburg NEH Automated Access to Special Collections Project.

Subject

• Nash, Joe, 1919-2005
• Dafora, Asadata, 1890-1965
• Bledger, Al
• Winfield, Hemsley, 1907?-1934
• Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts (Roxbury, Mass.)
• African American dance
• African Americans in the performing arts
• Dance, Black
• Dancers > United States
• Dancers > Africa
• African American historians

Note

• Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.
• Posters and decoupage transferred to Art and Artifacts Division.

Source (note)

• Nash, Joe

Biography (note)

• Joe Nash is a former dancer, black dance historian and more recently coordinator of black dance history courses at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School in New York, and director and founder of the Multiethnic Christian Education Resources Center of the National Council of Churches Born in New York City, Nash came from a musical family and trained to become a secretary. He began dancing in 1940 with the National Youth Administration, then spent four years in the Army in Europe. Following World War II, he enrolled in the dance division of the American Theatre Wing. He studied ballet and modern dance, making his first professional appearance with the Charles Weidman Dance Group.
• Nash's dance career includes such Broadway shows as "Show Boat," "Finian's Rainbow," "Bless You All," "Flahooley," "My Darlin' Aida," "Livin' the Life," and "Inside the U.S.A." His concert performances include New York City Center's production of "Carmen Jones" and "Love for Three Oranges." His television credits include "Omnibus," "The Hit Parade," "The Paul Whiteman Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the Canadian production of "Portfolio."
• Joe Nash's role with dance more recently has moved into the area of art administration with such organizations as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Foundation where he served as a dance panelist and a member of the Board of Trustees respectively. He has also functioned as lecturer, dance teacher and exhibition coordinator. In the role of researcher of black dance history, Nash has compiled an extensive collection of photographs, manuscript items, programs and flyers, news clippings, decoupage art, books and dissertations documenting black dance and dancers from the 1920's through the l980's.

Processing Action (note)

• Accessioned
• Cataloged

Call Number

Sc MG 224

OCLC

NYPW090000017-A

Author

Nash, Joe, 1919-2005.

Title

Black dance collection, 1939-1990.

Description

.6 lin. ft. (2 archival boxes)

Summary

The Joe Nash/Black Dance collection consists of correspondence, contracts, and scripts and descriptions of dances based on African themes. Material about the following dancers/choreographers includes: Asadata Dafora's storyline and press release for "Kykunkor," a ballet-drama choreographed by Dafora; Al Bledger, contracts for the plays "La Belle Helene," "Swingin' the Dream," and "Spring in Brazil;" Hemsley Winfield, script and description of the ballet "The Jungle Wedding," choreographed by Winfield. There is also information pertaining to the organization of the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Additionally, the collection contains flyers announcing Nash's speaking engagements on black dance. For the most part, the letters are thanking Nash for his assistance on a dance related project or for his lectures.

Biography

Joe Nash is a former dancer, black dance historian and more recently coordinator of black dance history courses at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater School in New York, and director and founder of the Multiethnic Christian Education Resources Center of the National Council of Churches Born in New York City, Nash came from a musical family and trained to become a secretary. He began dancing in 1940 with the National Youth Administration, then spent four years in the Army in Europe. Following World War II, he enrolled in the dance division of the American Theatre Wing. He studied ballet and modern dance, making his first professional appearance with the Charles Weidman Dance Group.

Nash's dance career includes such Broadway shows as "Show Boat," "Finian's Rainbow," "Bless You All," "Flahooley," "My Darlin' Aida," "Livin' the Life," and "Inside the U.S.A." His concert performances include New York City Center's production of "Carmen Jones" and "Love for Three Oranges." His television credits include "Omnibus," "The Hit Parade," "The Paul Whiteman Show," "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the Canadian production of "Portfolio."

Joe Nash's role with dance more recently has moved into the area of art administration with such organizations as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Foundation where he served as a dance panelist and a member of the Board of Trustees respectively. He has also functioned as lecturer, dance teacher and exhibition coordinator. In the role of researcher of black dance history, Nash has compiled an extensive collection of photographs, manuscript items, programs and flyers, news clippings, decoupage art, books and dissertations documenting black dance and dancers from the 1920's through the l980's.

Finding Aids

Partial inventory available.

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Finding aid

Research Call Number

Sc MG 224