Box 1 Folder 1
Photograph (8"x10" B&W) : The Dance Theatre of Harlem company poses outside the Church of the Master in Harlem (circa 1969-70), its first "home."
Box 1 Folder 2
"The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Inc." - a description of Dance Theatre of Harlem's operating principles and methods
Box 1 Folder 3
Photograph (8"x10" B&W) : Dance Theatre of Harlem Founder and Director, Arthur Mitchell
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 4
Biography of Arthur Mitchell (2 pages).
Box 1 Folder 5
Arthur Mitchell - List of Awards and Tributes
Box 1 Folder 6
Photograph (8"x10" B&W) : Karel Shook (The Dance Theatre of Harlem Co-Founder and Associate Director)
Box 1 Folder 7
Biography of Dance Theatre of Harlem Co-Founder and Associate Director, Karel Shook.
Box 1 Folder 8
Photograph (8"x10" B&W) : Arthur Mitchell
(Photo credit: Martha Swope)
Box 1 Folder 9
Playbill reprint: "Birth of a Black Ballet Company— Dance Theatre of Harlem," byline by Colette Dowling (4 pages), May 1971
Box 1 Folder 10
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Lydia Abarca and Derek Williams perform the pas de deux from George Balanchine's "Agon," Spoleto, Italy, 1971
Photo credit: none listed, but possibly Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 11
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Lydia Abarca, Virginia Johnson, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company perform the First Movement of "Agon"
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 12
News clipping: The Washington Post: "Lydia Abarca: On the Brink of Stardom," byline by Lynn Darling (2 pages), 4 October 1979
Box 1 Folder 13
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Paul Russell performs in "Forces of Rhythm."
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 14
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Virginia Johnson performs in "Laurentia"
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 15
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Derek Williams, Virginia Johnson, and Homer Bryant perform the "Holberg Suite" pas de trois
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 16
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company men perform Arthur Mitchell's "Rythmetron"
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 17
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company performs "Rythmetron" in Spoleto, Italy, 1971
Photo credit: none listed, but probably Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 18
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Arthur Mitchell addresses the audience at a Dance Theatre of Harlem Lecture-Demonstration in New York
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 19
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Virginia Johnson and the Company women at the barre during a Lecture-Demonstration at New York's Guggenheim Museum
Not for Reproduction per request of the photographer.
Photo credit: Suzanne A. Vlamis
Box 1 Folder 20
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company men perform Louis Johnson's "Forces of Rhythm"
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 21
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): The Dance Theatre of Harlem Company at the barre during a Lecture-Demonstration at a New York City Public School
Photo credit: Alexander Fluker
Box 1 Folder 22
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Arthur Mitchell instructs the Dance Theatre of Harlem women at the barre during a Lecture-Demonstration at a New York City Public School
Photo credit: Alexander Fluker
Box 1 Folder 23
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Melva Murray-White
Photo credit: none listed, but probably Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 24
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Samuel Smalls
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 25
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Laura Brown
Photo credit: none listed, but probably Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 26
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Walter Raines
Photo credit: none listed, but probably Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 27
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Sheila Rohan
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 28
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Gerald Banks
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 29
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Roslyn Sampson
Photo credit: Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 30
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Yvonne Hall
Photo credit: none listed, but probably Martha Swope
Box 1 Folder 34
Proclamation signed by John V. Lindsay, Mayor of New York
Proclaiming November 13, 1972 "Salute to Dance Theatre of Harlem Day"
Box 1 Folder 35
Marketing collateral: Clippings from a flyer
Proclaiming that "Lena Horne and Leontyne Price invite you to 'Come on Back in Ermine, Pearls, or Jeans' [to] Loew's Victoria Theatre, November 13, 1972, at 8:30 PM, "for the benefit of Dance Theatre of Harlem." Clipping includes a photo of Ms. Horne and Ms. Price together on stage. (Original source of clipping unknown)
Box 1 Folder 36
Marketing collateral: Four-page Publicity Fold-Out, 13 November 1972
Containing reprints of reviews and photos from Dance Theatre of Harlem's first "Harlem Homecoming". Reviews and photos shown are reprints from the New York Times, the New York Post, The Village Voice, Women's Wear Daily, The Daily News, the N.Y. Amsterdam News, and more
Box 1 Folder 37
Photo Spread entitled, "Coming Home"
Features photos of Hollywood celebrities, fashion designers, and New York City VIPS attending the first Dance Theatre of Harlem "Harlem Homecoming" (1972). Pictured: Diahann Carroll, Leontyne Price, Willi Smith, Jean Vanderbilt, Rod Steiger, Ramond St. Jacques, Mayor and Mrs. John V. Lindsay, Roscoe Lee Brown, Sidney Poitier, Brock Peters, Audrey Zauderer, Scott Barrie, Ruby Dee, Naomi Sims, Didi (Mrs. Brock) Peters, Mary Lasker, and Cannonball Adderley. Photo credits for all: Peter Simmins. (News outlet and pub date missing, but probably The Amsterdam News)
Box 1 Folder 38
News clipping: The Village Voice: "Going to Harlem in ermine & pearls," byline by Arthur Bell, 16 November 1972
Box 1 Folder 39
News clipping of an article entitled, "The Odd Couple," by "Billy Rowe, World's Renown (sic) Columnist"
Rowe was a syndicated columnist for The Pittsburg Courier, The Amsterdam News, and other Black news outlets, but since the Dance Theatre of Harlem "Homecoming" was held in New York, The Amsterdam News is the most likely source. Photos of Manhattan Borough President, Percy Sutton, and former NYC Mayor, Robert Wagner, are included. No photo credit is visible
Box 1 Folder 40
Poster (4-color ): "Miss Marian Anderson and Mr. Brock Peters invite you to...Harlem Homecoming II, An evening of Ballet, Blues & Gospel, for the benefit of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Loew's Victoria Theatre", 13 November 1973
Box 1 Folder 41
News clipping: The Amsterdam News: "Harlem Homecoming II and the Talent. Meet The 1973 Chairmen and Host" (2 pages), 3 November 1973
Photos of Ms. Marion Anderson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Brock Peters, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and James Brown precede a second headline, "How It Was. And How It Will Be." (No photo credits shown)
Box 1 Folder 42
Dance Theatre of Harlem "Save-the-Date" Postcard announcing the "Harlem Homecoming II", 13 November 1973
Box 1 Folder 43
News clipping: The New York Post: "Dance Theatre of Harlem Holds Gala Homecoming," byline by Edmund Newton, Wednesday, 14 November 1973
Report on the second "Harlem Homecoming" (held exactly a year after the first), attended by James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Tony Bennett
Box 1 Folder 44
Marketing collateral: Multi-page folding flyer: "The Dance Theatre of Harlem"
Includes biographical information on Arthur Mitchel and Karel Shook, a history of the school, an overview of the school's dance, music, fashion, and scholarship programs, a list of classes and fees, and a list of administrative staff
Box 1 Folder 45
News clipping: Mainliner: "The 'Ambassadors of 152nd Street,'" byline by Gay Nagle (2 pages), March 1974
Box 1 Folder 46
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Dance Theatre of Harlem Founder, Arthur Mitchell, conducts a children's ballet class
No photo credit listed, but probably Marbeth
Box 1 Folder 47
Marketing collateral: "The Dance Theatre of Harlem Children's Program" written by Karel Shook
The Dance Theatre of Harlem's Co-Founder and Associate Director
Box 1 Folder 48
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Intermediate Children's Class
Box 1 Folder 49
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Children's Sewing Class
Box 1 Folder 50
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Marie-Francoise Brooks' Children's Ethnic Class
Box 1 Folder 51
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): Kathy Stanford-Grant's Special Exercise Class
Box 1 Folder 52
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): A Percussion Class in the Dance Theatre of Harlem Music Department
Box 1 Folder 53
Dance Theatre of Harlem's schedule of dance classes, Fall 1969
Box 1 Folder 54
Marketing collateral: "The Dance Theatre of Harlem, Jr, "
A background piece on the establishment and progress of a "junior" performing company of Dance Theatre of Harlem students
Box 1 Folder 55
Photograph (8"x10" B&W): The Junior Company in performance
Box 1 Folder 56
Volume II, Number 4 (4 pages), October 1973
Includes articles announcing the upcoming Harlem Homecoming II, the arrival of new students from St. Thomas, V.I., and Australia, and a report from The Dance Theatre of Harlem's Associate Director, Karel Shook, on the four weeks of classes he and Company Ballet Master, William ("Bill") Scott, taught at the St. Thomas School of Dance in the Virgin Islands
Box 1 Folder 57
Volume III, Number 2 (5 pages), April 1974
Includes a feature story on "The Chicago Benefit;" a second feature on how Dance Theatre of Harlem's technical professionals taught lighting design, stage management, and electrical production to students at the Brooklyn College of the Performing Arts, and a publicity piece promoting the upcoming Dance Theatre of Harlem Street Fair
Box 1 Folder 58
Volume III, Number 3 (6 pages), July 1974
Special issue, "Dance Theatre of Harlem In The News," includes a feature story on Princess Margaret's visit to Dance Theatre of Harlem ("Royalty Visits the 'Miracle' on 152nd Street"), reprints of reviews from Dance Theatre of Harlem's first New York Season by Robert Jacobson (Cue) and Clive Barnes (The New York Times), a feature story on Dance Theatre of Harlem's "Chicago Benefit" complete with press coverage of the gala, its scholarship recipients, and the Company's performance at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, and concludes with a report on the Dance Theatre of Harlem Boat Ride up the Hudson River
Box 1 Folder 59
Volume III, Number 4 (6 pages), October 1974
Includes reports on Dance Theatre of Harlem's sojourn at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London (complete with reprints of reviews from the Guardian and The Evening Standard), a report on Dance Theatre of Harlem's trips to Norway, Belgium, Finland, and Mexico, a report on plans for Dance Theatre of Harlem's Second New York Season, and an update on the 1974 Summer School Session that welcomed scholarship students from Dayton, OH, Philadelphia, PA, and Chicago, IL
Box 1 Folder 60
Volume IV, Number 1 (4 pages), January 1975
Includes excerpts from reviews of the Dance Theatre of Harlem Company's command performance for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, at the London Palladium and a photo of the Company women posing with the legendary Josephine Baker. Also includes a profile on Dance Theatre of Harlem faculty member, Mette Spaniardi, a report on the extension of Dance Theatre of Harlem's "Arts Exposure Week" from one week to two, and updates on several new works added to the Dance Theatre of Harlem repertoire: ballets by George Balanchine ("Bugaku"), Walter Raines ("After Corinth"), and William Scott ("Every Now and Then")
Box 1 Folder 61
Volume IV, Number 2 (8 pages), April 1975
Encapsulates the totality of Dance Theatre of Harlem's Second Broadway Season, starting with its "Arts Exposure" program for children and senior citizens, its performance of everything from classical ballet ("Holberg Suite" and "Concerto Barocco") to ethnic ("Dougla") to modern ("Caravansarai") covered in review clips and photos, and its Gala Opening Night Benefit for Dance Theatre of Harlem's Scholarship Fund. And when all that "work" was done, Dance Theatre of Harlem partied on the Dance Theatre of Harlem Boat Ride up the Hudson River and danced in the street at Dance Theatre of Harlem's Street Fair—flyers for which made this issue Dance Theatre of Harlem's most visual Newsletter yet (8 pages)
Box 1 Folder 62
Volume IV, Number 3 (8 pages), July 1975
Starting with a graphic cover offering sincere "Thanks!" to the Dance Theatre of Harlem friends and supporters who helped the school and company have one of its best years yet, this Newsletter ran a feature story on Dance Theatre of Harlem costume mistress, the incomparable Zelda Wynn, reported on a school and company "field trip" to the Lincoln Center Dance Library to screen films of Arthur Mitchell, Tanaquil LeClerq, and Maria Tallchief (organized by scholarship student, Karyn Taylor), and touted the addition of Bob Curtis, Mary Barnett, and other faculty members to the Dance Theatre of Harlem dance and music departments (8 pages)
Box 1 Folder 63
News clipping: The Evening Bulletin: "Mitchell and Dancers Stage a Surprise," byline by James Felton (Philadelphia), 3 November 1969
Box 1 Folder 64
News clipping: The Philadelphia Inquirer: "Ballet's 'Greatest Moments' Presented," byline by Samuel L. Singer, 3 November 1969
Box 1 Folder 65
Program: The Twentieth Annual Capezio Dance Award honoring Arthur Mitchell, 1971
Box 1 Folder 66
The Feet, The Monthly Dance and Arts Magazine
, November 1972
Fold-out with a feature story: "Arthur Mitchell: The Dance Theatre of Harlem" by Alicia Adams, a centerfold spread of Dance Theatre of Harlem photos ("Dance Theatre of Harlem Soars in Europe" by Alicia Adams), and another article on Dance Theatre of Harlem instructor, Mary Hinkson, also written by Alicia Adams
Box 1 Folder 67
Program from the Dance Theatre of Harlem, 29 April 1972
Performance in Whitman Hall, Brooklyn College Center for the Performing Arts
Box 1 Folder 68
Marketing Collateral: "Harlem! Harlem!" a 2-page, 4-color Advertorial produced by Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
The ad features four-color photos of Dance Theatre of Harlem in performance and notes that Dance Theatre of Harlem will be performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., March 15-20, and at New York's City Center from July 28-July 3rd. No year was printed in the ad, but it was probably 1972 or 1973
Box 1 Folder 69
Blackstage magazine, August 1973
Featuring an article on the Dance Theatre of Harlem: "B.S. Conversation with Arthur Mitchell." (We'll assume "B.S." stands for Blackstage.... KJT)
Box 1 Folder 70
Marketing Collateral: Mini Poster
Announcing Dance Theatre of Harlem's "First New York Season, Opening Night Benefit, Tuesday, April 16th, at the ANTA Theatre, 52nd Street, West of Broadway."
Box 1 Folder 71
Playbill (with golden cover) from Dance Theatre of Harlem's Gala Premiere at the Anta Theatre, 16 April 1974
Box 1 Folder 72
Playbill from Dance Theatre of Harlem's First New York Season at the Anta Theatre, 16-21 April 1974
Box 1 Folder 73
News clipping: The New York Times: "Dance Theatre of Harlem at Home on Broadway," byline by Clive Barnes, 18 April 1974
Box 1 Folder 74
Playbill from Dance Theatre of Harlem's Second New York Season at the Uris Theatre, 6-11 May 1975
Box 1 Folder 75
News clipping: The New York Times: "Dance: Harlem Classicists Are Something Special," byline by Clive Barnes, 27 April 1975
Box 1 Folder 76
News clipping: The New York Times: "They Told Us Our Bodies Were Wrong for Ballet," byline by Jack Slater (an editor of The Times Sunday Magazine), 27 April 1975
Box 1 Folder 77
Program from Dance Theatre of Harlem's appearance at the American Dance Festival, Palmer Auditorium, Connecticut College, New London, CT., 26 June-2 August 1975
Box 1 Folder 78
Solicitation Letter written by Didi (Mrs. Brock) Peters to Mrs. Gerald Ford, First Lady of the United States, 11 April 1975
Photocopy, 2 pages. Note: Mrs. Peters wrote this letter herself
Box 1 Folder 79
Western Union telegram From First Lady Betty (Mrs. Gerald) Ford to Arthur Mitchell, 21 April 1975
Congratulating the Dance Theatre of Harlem on the opening of its Second New York Season (Phtotcopy)
Box 1 Folder 80
Personal letter (photocopy) from First Lady Betty Ford on White House stationery to Arthur Mitchell
In honor of the beginning of the Second New York Season
Box 1 Folder 81
Playbill from Dance Theatre of Harlem's 3rd New York Season at the Uris Theatre, 9-14 March 1976
Box 1 Folder 82
News clipping: CUE magazine: "Ballet in a Box," byline by Anne Levin, 19 February - 4 March 4, 1977
Box 1 Folder 83
News clipping: The New York Times: "Harlem Company at a Crossroad," byline by Anna Kisselgoff, Sunday, 19 March 1978
Box 1 Folder 84
News clipping: The Village Voice: "Dance Theatre of Harlem Bounces Back" (photocopy), byline by Mary A. Fischer, 22 January 1979
Box 1 Folder 85
Playbill from Dance Theatre of Harlem's engagement at New York's City Center, 20-21, 24-25 February; 2 March; 4 March 1979
Box 1 Folder 86
Playbill from Dance Theatre of Harlem's engagement at New York's City Center, 3-25 January 1981
Box 1 Folder 87
News clipping: The New York Times: "Harlem Dancers to Revive 'Scheherazade,'" byline by Jennifer Dunning, 4 January 1981
Box 1 Folder 88
News clipping: The New York Times: "Dance: Harlem's One-Act 'Swan Lake,'" byline by Anna Kisselgoff, 15 January 1981
Box 1 Folder 89
News clipping: The New York Times: "The Current Staging of 'Scheherezade,'" byline by Anna Kisselgoff, 18 January 1981
Box 1 Folder 90
News clipping: The New York Times: "The Appealing Harlem Troupe," byline by Anna Kisselgoff, 25 January 1981
2 pages; pages. 12 and 22
Box 1 Folder 91
News clipping: Newsweek: "Growing Pains in Harlem," byline by Hubert Saal, 16 February 1981
Box 1 Folder 92
News clipping: Ballet News: "Barnes On...the position of the black classic dancer in American ballet," byline by Clive Barnes, March 1982
Box 1 Folder 93
Television news script: CBS News' 60 Minutes segment: "Dance Theatre of Harlem" with correspondent Ed Bradley, 1984
Box 1 Folder 94
Program from the Regional Arts Foundation Dance event, January - March 1984
Featuring the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Houston Ballet, and the Hartford Ballet, West Palm Beach Auditorium, West Palm Beach, FL
Box 1 Folder 95
Program from the Memorial Celebration honoring the life of Karel Shook at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City , 29 August 1985
Booklet with inserted page
Box 1 Folder 96
Program from Dance Theatre of Harlem's 2001 New York Season at City Center, 25 September-7 October 2001
Box 1 Folder 97
Brochure: Auditorium Theatre: "Original dancer now Dance Theatre Harlem director," byline by Rashod Ollison, 3 October-29 November 2014-2015
Reprinted from The Virginian-Pilot © May 12, 2014, 2 pages
Box 1 Folder 98
Program from Dance Theatre of Harlem's 2014-15 Season at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL, 21-23 November 2014
Box 1 Folder 99
News clipping: The New York Times: "Arthur Mitchell Is Dead at 84; Showed the Way for Black Dancers," Obituaries, byline of Jennifer Dunning, 19 September 2018, 4 pages
Box 1 Folder 100
News clipping: Dance Teacher magazine: "Lydia Abarca Mitchell, Arthur Mitchell's First Ballerina, Builds On Her Mentor's Legacy in Atlanta," byline by Cynthia Bond Perry, 13 January 2021, 2 pages
Box 1 Folder 101
Internet Article (printout): "Artistic Director Virginia Johnson To Step Down at Dance Theatre of Harlem," byline by A.A. Cristi, 15 September 2022, 2 pages