WAUPortnoffMarguerite4427.xml Guide to the Marguerite Portnoff Collection of Ida Levin Ephemera Portnoff (Marguerite) Collection of Ida Levin Ephemera Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries ©2008 (Last modified: 4/18/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written inEnglish. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections 4427 (Accession No. 4427-001) Portnoff, Marguerite Marguerite Portnoff collection of Ida Levin ephemera 2 items (1 folder) Collection materials are inEnglish. Ida Levin (born 1907) was a dancer from Seattle, Washington who continued her professional career in New York. The Marguerite Portnoff collection of Ida Levin ephemera consists of photocopies of a 1925 newspaper clipping and a flyer relating to the Benefit Dance Recital organized by the Vocational Scholarship Committee of the National Council of Jewish Women on behalf of the young dance student.

Ida Levin (born 1907) was a dancer from Seattle, Washington who continued her professional career in New York. Levin started her dance training at the Cornish School and continued her study with Mary Ann Wells in Seattle for four years before moving to New York. In 1925, the Vocational Scholarship Committee of the Seattle Section of the National Council of Jewish Women recognized Levin's exceptional talent in dance by awarding her a scholarship to continue her studies. To raise funds to support this scholarship, a benefit performance was held at the auditorium of Temple De Hirsch on June 13th, 1925. Levin was one of the earliest recipients. Her recital included various dance forms and was arranged by Wells. As a result of these efforts, she was able to go to New York and study ballet with Michel Fokine for one year. She also studied with Albertina Rasch, joined the Albertina Rasch Dancers, and toured with them throughout the United States. While in New York, she used Ida Lanvin as her stage name and appeared as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including Rufus LeMaire's Affairs (1927) and the Ziegfeld Follies of 1927 (1927-1928). Levin's parents, who were immigrants from Russia, also relocated to New York, along with her sisters Sadie and Marguerite (later Marguerite Portnoff); by 1930 the entire family was living together in Brooklyn.

The Marguerite Portnoff collection of Ida Levin ephemera consists of photocopies of a newspaper clipping from theSeattle Daily Times(June 21, 1925) and a flyer for the 1925 Benefit Dance Recital organized by the Vocational Scholarship Committee of the National Council of Jewish Women. The clipping includes a reproduction of a photograph of Levin by Wayne Albee and a caption providing a brief introduction of her as a dancer. The newspaper item describes her as "Ida Levin," while she is billed on the flyer as "Ida Levine."

The collection consists entirely of photocopies.

Formerly titled Marguerite Portnoff papers.

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Portnoff's literary rights transferred to the U.W. Libraries.

Donated by Marguerite Portnoff, 9/1/1993.

Processing completed in 2012.

Levin, Ida, b. 1907 Wells, Mary Ann, . 1971 Portnoff, Marguerite Albee, Wayne National Council of Jewish Women. Seattle Section Temple de Hirsch (Seattle, Wash.) Seattle (Wash.)--Social life and customs--20th century Benefit performances--Washington (State)--Seattle Dance--Scholarships, fellowships, etc.--Washington (State)--Seattle Dance recitals--Washington (State)--Seattle Dancers--Washington (State)--Seattle Jewish girls--Washington (State)--Seattle Jews--United States--Charities Women in charitable work--Washington (State)--Seattle Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) Photographs Fliers (printed matter) Photocopies Seattle daily times (Seattle, Wash. : 1896) Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Performing Arts Jewish Americans