Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Katharine A. Wolfe papers, 1920-1990
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Wolfe, Katharine
- Title
- Katharine A. Wolfe papers
- Dates
- 1920-1990 (inclusive)19201990
1940-1970 (bulk)19401970 - Quantity
- 2.72 cubic feet (7 boxes)
- Collection Number
- 5252 (Accession No. 5252-003)
- Summary
- Correspondence, teaching materials, dance performance programs, writings, and other papers of Katharine A. Wolfe, a dance teacher in Seattle, Washington
- 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
-
No restrictions on access.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Katharine A. Wolfe was a teacher and administrator in the Seattle Public Schools for many years. Born in Nebraska in 1904, she came to the University of Washington intending to study botany, but changed her focus after developing an interest in modern dance. She started teaching physical education at Seattle’s Garfield High School in 1926, moving to Lincoln High School a year later, where she remained until 1944.
She integrated dance into her curriculum, particularly ballet and modern dance, and was a mentor to many students who went on to further dance studies and professional careers, most notable among them Martha Nishitani. Along with Nishitani, Maxine Cushing Gray, and Eleanor King, Wolfe was a member of the Friends of the Dance, a non-profit organization that sponsored dance performances and promoted dance appreciation in the Pacific Northwest.
Wolfe studied dance at the Cornish School in Seattle, and also traveled to New York, Vermont, and Germany to study with modern dancers, including Mary Wigman. While in Vermont in 1942, Wolfe began research on a book that would eventually be titled The Concert Dance. This was an extremely large project, at one time containing 1600 pages, for which she interviewed many prominent dancers and choreographers. Wolfe worked on her manuscript intermittently into the 1960s. Although unpublished at the time of her death, the manuscript was bequeathed by Wolfe to the Seattle Public Library. Wolfe passed away in 1990 at the age of 86.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Textual materials related to Katharine Wolfe's work as an educator and writer. Includes personal and professional correspondence; teaching materials; a collection of dance performance programs; materials concerning the study of dance and dance scholarship; organizational materials of the Friends of the Dance; and Wolfe's typescript drafts, notes, and clippings compiled for her unpublished work, The Concert Dance. In The Concert Dance, Wolfe presents a history of modern dance beginning with the history of ballet and focusing on modern dance in Germany and America, with a conclusion that looks at ethnic dance in America.
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
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Incoming correspondence, 1938-1970, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | 1938-1959 |
1938-1959 |
1/2 | 1960-1970 |
1960-1970 |
1/3 | undated |
undated |
Series 2: Teaching Materials, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/4-7 | Lesson notes |
undated |
1/8 | Reference materials |
undated |
1/9 | Student work |
undated |
4/1 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
Series 3: Professional Development, 1980-1986Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/10-11 | Conference on the Congress on Research in
Dance |
1986 |
1/12-13 | Washington State Cultural Enrichment Program |
1980 |
Series 4: Dance Publications, 1946-1985Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
1/14 | "The Dance in the Chinese Theater" by Sophia
Delza |
1961 |
1/15 | "Dance Production" edited by Gertrude
Lippincott |
1956 |
1/16 | Northwest Arts Journal |
1975-1985 |
1/17 | Wigman, Mary Contains two items by Wigman: the journal "Komposition" in
German, and a magazine about Wigman containing an interview and pieces written
by and about her.
|
1946-1958 |
1/18 | Miscellaneous |
1946-1958 |
Series 5: Programs, 1925-1983Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Dance Instruction |
1928-1983 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/19 | Boston Conservatory of Music |
1960-1962 |
1/20 | Connecticut College School of Dance |
1965-1966 |
1/21 | Conservatory of Creative Dance - Contemporary Dancers
Center |
1957-1960 |
1/22 | Cornish School |
1954 |
1/23 | Hewlett, Emily, Emily Hewlett Studio of Dancing -
Noyes School of Rhythm |
1928-1932 |
1/24 | Seattle Ballet Center Seattle Ballet Center's director was Diane Lembo, a lifelong
friend of Robert Joffrey. This program features photographs by Mary
Randlett.
|
undated |
1/25 | Welland Lathrop Dance School |
1961-1962 |
1/26 | Dance directories Includes: "Dance Directory, Programs in Colleges and
Universities 1958-1959; M.O.D.E. Directory of Black and Minority Dancers and
Dance Teachers in Seattle, 1973; Classifieds page from DANCEMAGAZINE, October
1983.
|
1958-1983 |
1/27 | Miscellaneous |
1952-1959 |
Subseries 2: Performances in Seattle |
1925-1976, undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/28 | Ballet Theatre |
1943-1947 |
1/29 | Nishitani, Martha, Martha Nishitani Dance
Company |
1957; undated |
1/30 | University of Washington |
1925-1928 |
1/31 | University of Washington |
1930-1935 |
1/32 | University of Washington |
1936-1941 |
1/33 | University of Washington |
1949, 1960, undated |
1/34 | Weidman, Charles |
1938, 1958 |
1/35 | Wells, Mary Ann, Mary Ann Wells School of the
Dance |
1928-1930 |
1/36 | Miscellaneous |
1926-1929 |
1/37 | Miscellaneous |
1930-1931 |
1/38 | Miscellaneous |
1934-1937 |
1/39 | Miscellaneous |
1940-1954 |
2/1 | Miscellaneous |
1957-1976 |
1/40 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
Subseries 3: Performances outside of Seattle |
1939-1969 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/41 | Ballet Theatre |
1945-1946 |
2/2 | Swiss Folklore Dancers at the World's Fair |
1939 |
1/42 | Miscellaneous |
1950-1969 |
1/43 | Miscellaneous |
undated |
Series 6: Friends of the Dance, 1947-1953Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2/3 | By-laws and organizational material |
undated |
2/4 | Incoming correspondence |
1950 - April 1952 |
2/5 | Incoming correspondence |
September 1952 - 1953 |
2/6 | Outgoing correspondence |
1949-1953 |
2/7 | Meeting minutes |
1949-1952 |
2/8 | Meeting notes |
undated |
2/9 | Financial reports |
1948-1951 |
2/10 | Contracts |
1952-1953 |
2/11 | Mailing lists |
undated |
2/12 | Guest book |
undated |
4/2 | Program schedules |
1947-1953 |
2/13 | Promotional materials |
1949-1953 |
2/14 | Kalpana film screening Includes correspondence prior to the event, the event program,
and clippings.
|
1948-1949 |
2/15 | Event programs |
1951-1953 |
2/16 | Clippings |
1951-1952 |
Series 7: Writings, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
2/17-22 | Notes on dance, general |
undated |
2/23 | Notes on dance history |
undated |
2/24-26 | Notes on ballet |
undated |
2/27-29 | Notes on The Ballet Theatre |
undated |
2/30-3/3 | Notes on Martha Graham |
undated |
3/4 | Notes on John Martin |
undated |
3/5 | Dance bibliographies |
undated |
3/6 | Dance studios and schools |
undated |
Series 8: Clippings, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
3/7 | Ballet |
undated |
3/8 | Broadway musicals |
undated |
3/9 | Ethnic and folk dance |
undated |
3/10 | Film and television |
undated |
3/11 | Graham, Martha |
undated |
3/12 | St. Denis, Ruth |
undated |
3/13 | University of Washington Dance Drama |
undated |
3/14-27 | General Dance |
undated |
4/3-7 | General |
undated |
Series 9: Ephemera, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s): Box-folder 3/28
Series 10: Manuscript "The Concert Dance", 1960Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
5/1 | Early History of Dance |
|
5/2 | The Development of the Ballet in Europe |
|
5/3 | The Development of the Ballet in Russia,
1600-1900 |
|
5/4 | Development of the Ballet in America |
|
5/5 | Rudolph von Laban and Early Influences on Modern Dance
in Germany |
|
5/6 | Development of the Modern Dance in Germany |
|
5/7-9 | Mary Wigman |
|
5/10-11 | Isadora Duncan |
|
5/12-13 | Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn |
|
5/14 | Ted Shawn and Jacob's Pillow |
|
5/15 | Building the American Modern Dance |
|
5/16-17 | Martha Graham |
|
5/18-19 | Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman |
|
5/20 | Helen Tamiris |
|
5/21 | Second Generation Moderns - The Graham
Family |
|
5/22 | Second Generation Moderns - The Humphrey-Weidman
Family |
|
5/23 | Second Generation Moderns - The Holm family |
|
5/24 | Jose Limon |
|
5/25 | Modern Dance in Education |
|
5/26 | Dance Notation |
|
5/27 | The Oriental Dance in America |
|
5/28 | Angna Enters |
|
5/29 | Untitled |
|
6/2 | Table of Contents and Forward |
|
6/3 | Part I: The Ballet, Early History of Dance |
|
6/4 | Part I: The Ballet, The Development of the Ballet in
Europe |
|
6/5 | Part I: The Ballet, The Development of the Ballet in
Russia, 1600-1900 |
|
6/6 | Part I: The Ballet, The Diaghileff Era |
|
6/7 | Part I: The Ballet, The Development of the Ballet in
England |
|
6/8 | Part I: The Ballet, Development of the Ballet in
America |
|
6/9 | Part II: Modern Dance Beginnings in Germany, Rudolf von
Laban and Early Influences on Modern Dance in Germany |
|
6/10 | Part II: Modern Dance Beginnings in Germany, Mary
Wigman |
|
6/11 | Part II: Modern Dance Beginnings in Germany, Kurt
Jooss |
|
6/12 | Part II: Modern Dance Beginnings in Germany, Second
Generation Leaders |
|
6/13 | Part II: Modern Dance Beginnings in Germany, German
Dancers in America |
|
6/14 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Early Influences on
American Modern Dance |
|
6/15 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Isadora
Duncan |
|
6/16 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Ruth St. Denis and
Ted Shawn |
|
6/17 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Building the American
Modern Dance |
|
6/18 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Martha
Graham |
|
6/19 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Doris Humphrey and
Charles Weidman |
|
6/20 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Helen
Tamiris |
|
6/21 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Other Early
Experimentalists |
|
6/22 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Second Generation
Moderns--The Graham Family |
|
7/1 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Second Generation
Moderns--The Humphrey-Weidman Family |
|
7/2 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Second Generation
Moderns--The Holm Family |
|
7/3 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, The
Independents |
|
7/4 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Modern Dance in
Education |
|
7/5 | Part III: Modern Dance in America, Dance
Notation |
|
7/6 | Part IV: Ethnic Dance and Dance Mime in America, The
Negro Dance in America |
|
7/7 | Part IV: Ethnic Dance and Dance Mime in America, The
Spanish Dance in America |
|
7/8 | Part IV: Ethnic Dance and Dance Mime in America, The
Oriental Dance in America |
|
7/9 | Part IV: Ethnic Dance and Dance Mime in America, The
Jewish Dance in America |
|
7/10 | Part IV: Ethnic Dance and Dance Mime in America, Dance
Mime in America |
|
7/11 | Dance Charts Showing Developments in Europe and
America |
Series 11: Photographs, circa 1940s, undatedReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box/Folder | ||
5/30 | Photographic prints |
circa 1940s |
6/1 | Photocopies of dance photographs Original photographs located at Seattle Public Library
|
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
Personal Names
- Wolfe, Katharine--Archives