North Dakota Ballet Company Records, 1960-1984

North Dakota Ballet Company Records

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Collection Overview

Title: North Dakota Ballet Company Records, 1960-1984

ID: OGLMC1577

Primary Creator: North Dakota Ballet Company

Other Creators: Novak, Kata

Extent: 8.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 09/09/2011. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Ballet, Grand Forks - Organizations, Organizational Records

Languages: English

Abstract

Ballet company founded in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1961

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The North Dakota Ballet Company Records contains a wide variety of materials on the early history of the Company. Spanning the years 1960-1966, the items in this collection include photographs, newspaper clippings, programs, correspondence, scrapbooks, and loose artifacts related to the Company and its operations.

Collection Historical Note

The North Dakota Ballet Company was founded in 1961 by Mrs. Kata Novak and Rogers Barnes. The mission of the company was to achieve a wider appreciation for the art of dance among the children and adults of Grand Forks. Its desire was to encourage a more complete culture in the fine arts for people of all ages.

Mrs. Novak, founder of the Company, served as the Ballet Mistress while also performing as the Prima Ballerina. She also owned the Kay School of Dance, donating the space for auditions, rehearsals, and classes.

Over two years of professional work and planning were undertaken before the first performance was held. During the Company’s first years, there were a total of fifteen girls and four young men among its members. It was successful in expanding in the Grand Forks area, as membership in the Company, as well as audiences at performances grew, which was made possible through more productions, scholarships, variety shows, festivals, and summer camps being offered.

The North Dakota Ballet Company enjoyed a successful cooperative venture with the University of North Dakota’s orchestra and dance groups. Mimi Marr, a modern dance instructor at UND, who held BA and MA degrees, as well as attended several dance schools, became the new owner/director of Kay’s School of Dance. Having previously conducted the Marr School of Dance, which served children in preschool through high school, Mrs. Marr became one of the finest directors and choreographers of her time during her tenure with the Ballet Company.

Subject/Index Terms

Ballet
Grand Forks - Organizations
Organizational Records

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Additions were received from: Nancy Marcotte, East Grand Forks, Minnesota on October 31, 2011 (Acc.#2011-3138); Kata Novak, Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 10, 2012 (Acc.#2012-3147)

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Kata Novak, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.2011-3134

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). North Dakota Ballet Company Records. OGLMC 1577, Box, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Processing Information: Processed by Katelyn Devine and Daniel Sauerwein, Special Collections Student Assistants in 2012.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: North Dakota Ballet Company],
[Series 2: Other Ballet Companies],
[Series 3: Photographs],
[Series 4: Artifacts],
[All]

Series 1: North Dakota Ballet Company

Box 1

Folder 1: History, undated
Folder 2: Constitution and By-Laws, undated
Folder 3: Angel Contract Agreement, undated
Folder 4: Meeting, September, 1964
Folder 5: Membership, 1963-1964
Folder 6: Kay School of Dance, 1961-1964
Folder 7: Programs, 1956-1967
Folder 8: Newspaper Clippings, 1963-2006
Folder 9: Magazine Articles, 1963-1984
Folder 10: Correspondences, 1956-1968
Folder 11: Correspondences, 1961-1971
Folder 12: Community Music Association, 1959-1960
Folder 15: Dance Certificate, 1965
Folder 16: Untitled Ballet Routine, undated
Folder 17: "Open House" TV Script, undated
Folder 18: Ballet Essay, April 1965

Box 5

Folder 1: Scrapbook pages with material related to Dakota Playmakers and other artistic groups
Folder 2: Ballet Costume Sketches
Scrapbook 1: Scrapbook related to North Dakota Ballet Company during the 1960s

Series 2: Other Ballet Companies

Box 1

Folder 13: Jacob's Pillow, 1790-1965
Folder 14: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 1960-1969
Folder 29: Jacob's Pillow commemorative plate

Series 3: Photographs

Box 1

Folder 19

Photograph 1: Dvorak Dances-UND Fieldhouse, July, 1964: Photograph of Nancy Lund, Kaye Mullaly, and Kata Novak performing.
Photograph 2: Eileen Severson and Nancy Lund Marcott performing: Eileen Severson and Nancy Lund Marcott perform John (?) Wills History Book Dance, choreographed by Lynette Fry Abra of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
Photograph 3: Roger Barnes as The Bad Fairy: Roger Barnes as The Bad Fairy, as part of the Sleeping Beauty Recital, performed May 1961. Barnes assists another performer with makeup.
Photograph 4: Pam Sidie as the Lilac Fairy
Photograph 5: Janet Spencer, Nancy Lund Marcott, and Kata Novak in "Yellow Bird", choreographed by Mimi Marr
Photograph 6: Undated proof sheet
Photograph 7: Undated proof sheet
Photograph 8: Undated proof sheet
Photograph 9: Undated proof sheet
Photograph 10: Undated photograph

Folder 20

Photograph 11: Undated photograph
Photograph 12: Undated photograph
Photograph 13: Undated photograph
Photograph 14: Francis Vosicek
Photograph 15: Undated photographs
Photograph 16: Undated photographs
Photograph 17: Undated photographs
Photograph 18: Undated photographs
Photograph 19: Undated photographs
Photograph 20: Undated photographs

Folder 21

Photograph 21: Signed photograph of Bill Martin-Viscount
Photograph 22: Signed photograph from ballet dancer "Norbert"
Photograph 23: Portrait of Beverley Barkley
Photograph 24
Photograph 25
Photograph 26: Photograph signed by David Shields (other name illegible)
Photograph 27: Richard Rutherford and Lynette Fry
Photograph 28: Signed photograph of Jim Clouser and Marilyn Young
Photograph 29: Signed photograph of Fredric Strobel (?) and Marilyn Young
Photograph 30: Signed photograph of Ted Shawn outside the Ted Shawn Theatre.
Photograph 31: Unknown performer
Photograph 32: Undated dance class photograph
Photograph 33: Undated dance class photograph
Photograph 34: Undated dance class photograph
Photograph 35: Undated dance class photograph
Photograph 36: Undated dance class photograph

Folder 22

Photograph 37
Photograph 38: Mrs. Rick Novak and Roger Burns
Photograph 39
Photograph 40
Photograph 41
Photograph 42
Photograph 43
Photograph 44
Photograph 45
Photograph 46
Photograph 47
Photograph 48
Photograph 49
Photograph 50

Folder 23

Photograph 51
Photograph 52
Photograph 53
Photograph 54
Photograph 55
Photograph 56
Photograph 57
Photograph 58
Photograph 59
Photograph 60
Photograph 61
Photograph 62
Photograph 63
Photograph 64
Photograph 65

Folder 24

Photograph 66
Photograph 67
Photograph 68
Photograph 69
Photograph 70
Photograph 71
Photograph 72
Photograph 73
Photograph 74
Photograph 75: Kay Novak
Photograph 76
Photograph 77
Photograph 78
Photograph 79
Photograph 80: Undated cast photograph

Folder 25

Photograph 81
Photograph 82
Photograph 83
Photograph 84
Photograph 85
Photograph 86
Photograph 87
Photograph 88
Photograph 89
Photograph 90
Photograph 91
Photograph 92: John Madigan
Photograph 93
Photograph 94
Photograph 95

Folder 26

Photograph 96
Photograph 97
Photograph 98
Photograph 99
Photograph 100
Photograph 101
Photograph 102
Photograph 103
Photograph 104
Photograph 105
Photograph 106

Folder 27

Photograph 107: Signed photograph of Violet Verdy
Photograph 108: Signed photograph of Violet Verdy
Photograph 109: Signed photograph of Violet Verdy
Photograph 110: Photograph of Bill Martin-Viscount and Sheila Mackinnon, signed by Martin-Viscount
Photograph 111: Signed photograph of Gene Mauraccio
Photograph 112: Signed photograph of Violette Verdy
Photograph 113: Signed photograph of Edward Villella

Folder 28

Photograph 114
Photograph 115
Photograph 116
Photograph 117
Photograph 118
Photograph 119
Photograph 120
Photograph 121
Photograph 122

Series 4: Artifacts

Box 2

Item 1: Ballet Costume headpiece with peacock plume decoration
Item 2: Black Ballet Flats
Item 3: Black Character Shoes
Item 4: White Ballet Flats used at Jacob's Pillow in Summer 1963 signed by various ballet students
Item 5: Capezio Pointe Shoes (pink)
Item 6: Kata Novak's first character shoes from Grand Forks in the early 1960s.
Item 7: Hernes Sandles (used for jazz character dance)
Item 8: Pink Pointe Shoes

Box 3

Item 1: Ballet Costume
Item 2: Ballet Costume

Box 4

Item 1: Costume from "Swan Lake"

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: North Dakota Ballet Company],
[Series 2: Other Ballet Companies],
[Series 3: Photographs],
[Series 4: Artifacts],
[All]

Department of Special Collections
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