Research Catalog

Title

Gertrude Shurr papers, 1925-1992.

Author

Shurr, Gertrude.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Walker, Norman.
• Yocum, Rachel Dunaven.

Description

11.25 linear feet (9 boxes).

Subjects

• Photographs
• Modern dance
• Dance teachers
• Dancers
• Shurr, Gertrude
• Graham, Martha
• Manuscripts
• Women dancers > United States > 20th century
• Yocum, Rachel Dunaven
• O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004

Genre/Form

• Manuscripts.
• Photographs.

Access (note)

• Collection is available for research.

Source (note)

• Rachel Dunaven Yocum.

Biography (note)

• Gertrude Shurr was born in Riga, Latvia on August 13, 1903. She moved to the United States as a child, becoming a United States citizen in 1913. Shurr began her formal dance training at the Denishawn School with Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Her concert career began with solo performances of the early Denishawn dances (1925-1927). She then danced with the original Humphrey-Weidman Concert Company (1927-1929). Shurr joined the Martha Graham's dance troupe in 1930, dancing many of the Graham classics during her eight years working with the choreographer. Among them was Primitive mysteries, which she helped Miss Graham recreate in 1982. In 1939 she joined with May O'Donnell, co-founding the San Francisco Dance Theatre. New York City became the home of the Shurr-O'Donnell Modern Dance Studio in 1943. Among the notable students at this studio were Gerald Arpino and Robert Joffrey.In the early 1940's Shurr received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State College and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. During this period, she was a modern dance instructor at the American Negro Theatre in Harlem, New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse, and Utah State University. Like other modern dance performers, she also worked on Broadway, serving as assistant dance director for the musical Sadie Thompson in 1944 and again for Top banana in 1951. In 1949 Shurr co-authored with Rachel Yocum the book Modern dance: techniques and teaching, which documented Martha Graham's movement philosophy. From 1956 until 1973, Shurr was a modern dance instructor and also chairman of the dance department at the well-known High School of the Performing Arts. Notable students included Ben Vereen, Liza Minnelli and George de la Pena. Miss Shurr retired from active teaching to Logan, Utah in the mid 1970s. The winter months were spent in Tucson, Arizona where she served on the Arizona Commission on the Arts and as a master teacher at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Gertrude Shurr died on Jan. 2, 1992 in Tucson, Arizona.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

• Finding aid available in repository and via the Internet.

Call Number

(S) *MGZMD 76

OCLC

• 389234244
• 389234244

Author

Shurr, Gertrude.

Title

Gertrude Shurr papers, 1925-1992.

Access

Collection is available for research.

Summary

Papers of the modern dancer, teacher, choreographer and writer, Gertrude Shurr, pertain to both her career and her personal life. The collection includes correspondence with major dance personalities, such as Martha Graham, May O'Donnell, Doris Humphrey, and Norman Walker, as well as correspondence from family and friends. Also included are print materials consisting of press, programs, and writings by and about Shurr and photographs of Shurr as a performer, teacher, and lecturer, as well as those of dance personalities, family members, and friends.

Biography

Gertrude Shurr was born in Riga, Latvia on August 13, 1903. She moved to the United States as a child, becoming a United States citizen in 1913. Shurr began her formal dance training at the Denishawn School with Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Her concert career began with solo performances of the early Denishawn dances (1925-1927). She then danced with the original Humphrey-Weidman Concert Company (1927-1929). Shurr joined the Martha Graham's dance troupe in 1930, dancing many of the Graham classics during her eight years working with the choreographer. Among them was Primitive mysteries, which she helped Miss Graham recreate in 1982. In 1939 she joined with May O'Donnell, co-founding the San Francisco Dance Theatre. New York City became the home of the Shurr-O'Donnell Modern Dance Studio in 1943. Among the notable students at this studio were Gerald Arpino and Robert Joffrey.In the early 1940's Shurr received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State College and a master's degree from the University of Oregon. During this period, she was a modern dance instructor at the American Negro Theatre in Harlem, New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse, and Utah State University. Like other modern dance performers, she also worked on Broadway, serving as assistant dance director for the musical Sadie Thompson in 1944 and again for Top banana in 1951. In 1949 Shurr co-authored with Rachel Yocum the book Modern dance: techniques and teaching, which documented Martha Graham's movement philosophy. From 1956 until 1973, Shurr was a modern dance instructor and also chairman of the dance department at the well-known High School of the Performing Arts. Notable students included Ben Vereen, Liza Minnelli and George de la Pena. Miss Shurr retired from active teaching to Logan, Utah in the mid 1970s. The winter months were spent in Tucson, Arizona where she served on the Arizona Commission on the Arts and as a master teacher at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Gertrude Shurr died on Jan. 2, 1992 in Tucson, Arizona.

Indexes

Finding aid available in repository and via the Internet.

Local Note

This collection, as originally received, consisted of 32 albums of materials compiled by donor Rachel Dunaven Yocum. Originally entitled the Gertrude Shurr scrapbooks, the materials were, in 2008-2009, re-arranged and re-housed as an archival collection.

Former call number: *MGZEB 01-8210.

Source

Gift; Rachel Dunaven Yocum.

Connect to:

NYPL Digital Collections

Finding Aid

Occupation

Dance teachers.

Dancers.

Added Author

Walker, Norman.

Yocum, Rachel Dunaven. Compiler

Research Call Number

(S) *MGZMD 76