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May Meeting
Ephemeral Evidence: The role of the Archivist in Dance Documentation, Preservation & Research
There must be hundreds, possibly thousands of dances--some of which were probably masterpieces--completely lost because of this tragic ephemerality.—Doris Humphrey

Over the last decade, the dance community has come a long way in regards to embracing and prioritizing the need to document, copyright and preserve their work. Many artists and organizations are recognizing the fleeting nature of dance and have begun collaborating with archivists and other experts in the field in order to document and preserve their art and/or uphold their founder's legacy. Furthermore, some dance institutions have even added an archivist to their staff roster to help manage their materials, oversee preservation initiatives, and serve as an on-site historian.

This talk will discuss the various roles and challenges of an archivist working in a performing arts institution. Laura will talk about the New York City Ballet Archive's Costume Preservation Project; in regards to, methodology, challenges and how it increased the accessibility of this valuable asset. Laura will discuss the ephemeral nature of dance and how documentation has changed significantly due to technological advances. She will talk about the issues and benefits of going digital in regards to dance documentation, reconstruction and access. Highlights of the New York City Ballet Archive will be on display.

Laura Raucher has worked in the performing arts for over 9 years and is currently the Archivist for New York City Ballet, a freelance researcher and serves on the Board for The Emergency Fund for Student Dancers. She has worked for the José Limón Dance Foundation and The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance as an Archivist and various administrative duties. In 2003, she was an Archive Intern at the New York Performing Arts Library's Dance Collection, funded by the Dance Heritage Coalition. During her graduate studies at University of Oregon, she was awarded a Research Fellowship and graduated with a MS in Dance in 2000.

Co-Sponsored by: The New York City Ballet Archives

Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008

Time: Social - 5:30 - 6:30 pm ; Program - 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Place: 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza
Directions: By Subway: Subway: 2 or 3 trains to the Wall Street. R or W to Rector Street.
Member fee: $5
Non-member fee: $7
RSVP: To Leilani Dawson by Tuesday May 27, 2008, ldawson@brooklynhistory.org (recommended) or telephone: (718) 222-4111 x295. Please be sure that you can attend before responding.
Because of high security measures, there is an attendance cap for the meeting. All those attending must be on a list at the security desk to enter the building

If you are person with a disability and need reasonable accommodations to attend this meeting, please contact Vanessa Cameron at veep@nycarchivists.org at least 7 days in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements.