Elizabeth Virginia Goode papers, 1936-1991

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Goode, Elizabeth Virginia
Title
Elizabeth Virginia Goode papers
Dates
1936-1991 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.1 cubic feet (4 boxes)
Collection Number
2964
Summary
Elizabeth Goode Rockwell was an influential American dance educator with ties to the Pacific Northwest, who was active on both the east and west coasts over the course of a lengthy and distinguished career. Her papers cover her time as a student at the University of Washington and in the dance program at Mills College, as well as a dance teacher at Monticello College.
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Access restricted: For terms of access, contact Special Collections for details

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Elizabeth Goode Rockwell (1920-2010) was an influential American dance educator with ties to the Pacific Northwest, who was active on both the east and west coasts over the course of a lengthy and distinguished career. Born in Portland, Oregon, Goode attended the University of Washington as a freshman in 1938. She later transferred to Mills College in Oakland, California, where she studied dance and composition with Marian Van Tuyl and Lou Harrison, as well as visiting summer faculty, including Martha Graham, Louis Horst, and José Limón. While a student, she performed and toured as a member of the Marian Van Tuyl Dance Group and wrote for Dance Observer magazine. Following her graduation from Mills, Goode briefly taught dance at Monticello College in Godfrey, Illinois and the Cornish School of Allied Arts in Seattle. She received a Master's degree from New York University and became the director of the dance program at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City.

After marrying William Rockwell, she used the name Elizabeth Rockwell professionally (but went by Liz among her friends and associates). She later started her own dance school in Bedford, New York and also founded the Westchester Dance Company. The company, which was renamed Rondo Dance Theater in 1971, toured extensively. After retiring to Escondido, California, she continued teaching dance at the California Center of the Arts and formed Golden Connections, a performing group for women over fifty; she remained involved with the dance world until her death at the age of ninety.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Scrapbooks, correspondence, programs and photographs from Elizabeth Virginia Goode's time at University of Washington, Mills College, and Monticello College as well as her involvement with Eilzabeth Rockwell School of Dance, Northern Westchester Dance Company, Rondo Dance Theater, and Golden Connections.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 2964-001, Elizabeth Virginia Goode scrapbook, 1938-1942
  • Accession No. 2964-002, Elizabeth Virginia Goode papers, 1941-1991

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2964-001: Elizabeth Virginia Goode scrapbook, 1938-1942Return to Top

0.27 cubic feet (1 box)

Scope and Content: The Elizabeth Virginia Goode scrapbook covers her time as a student at the University of Washington and in the dance program at Mills College, as well as a dance teacher at Monticello College. It contains approximately forty photographs, including some images of teachers and students at a Mills College summer college session, members of the Marian Van Tuyl Group on tour, and performances by students at Monticello College. Also included are several programs for the Marian Van Tuyl Group, as well as programs for performances given by visiting dance companies in both Washington State and the San Francisco Bay Area. Other notable items in the scrapbook include an invoice from composer Lou Harrison for music created for a 1941student piece by Goode. Not pasted in the volume, but kept separately, is a letter from Martha Graham encouraging Goode to continue performing, as well as one from Louis Horst relating to contributions for the Dance Observer; both letters are dated 1941.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Custodial History: Goode gave the scrapbook to Nellie Cornish who gave it to the school, which later donated the volume to the University of Washington. A pencil annotation on the flyleaf of the volume dated 1954 reads: "Property of Elizabeth Goode, given C.G.T. by Nellie Cornish."

Acquisition Info: Cornish Institute, 1979-01-01

Accession No. 2964-002: Elizabeth Virginia Goode papers, 1941-1991Return to Top

0.83 cubic feet (3 boxes)

Scope and Content: Programs, photographs, advertisements, and publicity materials for Elizabeth Rockwell School of Dance, Northern Westchester Dance Company, Rondo Dance Theater, and Golden Connections, as well as correspondence and scrapbook pages.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Karen Rockwell-Kock, 2015-04-20

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Accession
1 2964-002
Correspondence
1949-1971
1 2964-002
Little Women tickets and programs
1963
1 2964-002
Elizabeth Rockwell School of Dance programs
1964, 1970
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company advertisements and programs
1968
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company programs
1961-1968
1 2964-002
Elizabeth Rockwell School of Dance class announcements
1959, 1963, undated
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company programs
undated
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company advertisements
1966-1967, undated
1 2964-002
The Unicorn, the Gorgon, and the Manticore, Northern Westchester Dance Co.
undated
1 2964-002
Newspaper clippings
1954-1969, undated
1 2964-002
Martha Graham correspondence
1941
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company Seven Dancers photograph
1961
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photographs
1961
1 2964-002
Publicity photograph for Fox Lane School dance performance
1963-3-9
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photographs
1965
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photograph
1966-10-13
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photograph
undated
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photographs, Little Women
undated
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photographs, Palomas
undated
1 2964-002
Northern Westchester Dance Company photographs
undated
1 2964-002
Elizabeth Rockwell School of Dance clippings
1963-1975, undated
1 2964-002
Rondo American Dance Theater brochure
1990
1 2964-002
Rondo Dance Theater photographs
undated
1 2964-002
Rondo Dance Theater photographs
undated
1 2964-002
Rondo Dance Theater video
1 videorecording (VHS)
undated
1 2964-002
Golden Connections photographs
undated
1 2964-002
Golden Connections photographs
undated
1 2964-002
Golden Connections flier and program
undated
2 2964-002
Photographs
undated
2 2964-002
Copies of newspaper articles
1970s-1980s
2 2964-002
Rondo Dance Theater publicity materials
1980s-1990s
2 2964-002
Newspaper clippings
1970s-1990s
2 2964-002
Westchester Dance Council newsletter
1978
3 2964-002
Scrapbook pages
1950s-1960s

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Dance companies--United States--Photographs
  • Dance teachers--Illinois--Godfrey
  • Dance teachers--United States
  • Dance--Study and teaching (Higher)--United States
  • Modern dance--United States
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Women college students--California--Oakland
  • Women college students ashington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Goode, Elizabeth Virginia
  • Graham, Martha--Correspondence
  • Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003
  • Horst, Louis--Correspondence
  • Van Tuyl, Marian, 1906 or 7-1987

Corporate Names

  • Mills College--Photographs
  • Monticello College--Students--Photographs
  • University of Washington--Students