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De Mille, Agnes.
The collection contains music scores, correspondence, writings, legal and financial papers, office files, notes,programs, plots, daily reminders, and phone books. The bulk of the collection consists of annotated musical scores, representing the productions choreographed by Agnes de Mille. De Mille's writing is also represented, with various essays, stories and other writings included in various states of completion. Although much of that material is fragmentary or in poor condition, it provides an invaluable look into de Mille's life and work. De Millewrites about her family life and relationships, her professional endeavors, and her appraisals of her colleagues and predecessors in the dance world. At the same time, the collection lacks completed drafts of any ofde Mille's numerous books on her life and career or on theart of dance.
American dancer, choreographer, director, and writer Agnes(George) de Mille was born in New York City in 1905. She was the daughter of playwright William Churchill de Milleand Anna George. In 1914 the family moved to Los Angeles,where de Mille was inspired to become a dancer. She begantaking lessons at the studios of Theodore Koslov, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA),where she earned a degree in English. In 1932, de Mille moved to London, where she received extensive dance training at Madame Marie Rambert's Ballet Club. Throughoutthe 1930s, de Mille returned to the United States. She danced in her uncle's staging of Cleopatra in 1934, and she choreographed for the Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer film version of Romeo and Juliet in 1936. In 1940, she created her first ballet, Black Ritual. In 1943, she joined Rodgers and Hammerstein to create the musical Oklahoma! Throughout the 1950s, de Mille embarked on a variety of projects. In 1952, she published the first volume of her autobiography, Dance to the Piper. The following year, she founded the Agnes de Mille Theater. During the 1960s, de Mille continued to produce many memorable ballets, and published several more dance books.From 1973 to 1974, de Mille founded and toured with the Agnes de Mille Heritage Dance Theater. She suffered a stroke in 1975, but continued to be involved actively with artistic endeavors until her death in October 1993.
Shadows (1826). NYPL Art and Architecture Collection.
One of 700,000 pictures in the NYPL Digital Gallery
