UUM_Accn0725.xml Inventory of the Repertory Dance Theatre records Repertory Dance Theatre records Finding aid created by Lisa DeMille. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections

2005 (last modified: 2019 and 2020)
295 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Business Number: 801-581-8863 special@library.utah.edu https://lib.utah.edu/collections/special-collections/index.php
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-01-02. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections Repertory Dance Theatre records Repertory Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City, Utah) ACCN 0725 26.75 linear feet 43 boxes, 3 oversize boxes, and 1 oversize folder 1965-2004 The Repertory Dance Theatre records (1965-2004) consist mainly of the financial and business papers of this Salt Lake City-based modern dance company. Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) was founded in 1966 with the help of Virginia Tanner (1915-1979). It has become a well-known touring company, performing internationally, and displays its dedication to the arts through various community programs. Included in the collection are correspondence, notes, invoices, receipts, requisitions, purchase orders, applications, programs, reports, and other materials. English

Utah's Repertory Dance Theatre was founded in 1966 as a fully-professional modern dance company through a cooperative effort involving the Salt Lake City community, the University of Utah and a major grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. This partnership was created to establish a company which would keep alive that unique, artistic achievement which is American Modern Dance.

Noted educator and Children's Dance Theatre director Virginia Tanner's dream of establishing a professional company of dancers dedicated to the performance, creation and preservation of modern dance led to the development of RDT. As a professional group of artists in residence at a university, RDT began as a bold attempt at artistic democracy which gradually evolved as the company selected artistic leadership within its own ranks. A founding member, Linda C. Smith has guided the artistic mission since 1983 and kept the thread of continuity and the "dream" of Virginia Tanner alive.

Today, RDT continues to fulfill its high initial expectations. It is the oldest and most successful company of its kind, a living museum representing one hundred years of dance history, preserving the largest and most significant collection of American dance in the world. RDT acquires classic works by significant twentieth century choreographers and also commissions new works for its prestigious repertory. From the legendary Isadora Duncan and Doris Humphrey to the revolutionary Merce Cunningham and Michio Ito, RDT is both a museum and a contemporary gallery representing the scope and diversity of modern dance past and present.

RDT's mission, to aid in the decentralization of the arts and to reach audiences outside the metropolitan centers, resulted in the creation of a versatile and flexible national touring company which has been seen in more than 300 cities throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. RDT has performed for diverse audiences from Bicknell, Utah to Vienna, Austria, in school rooms and opera houses, from gymnasiums to the Kennedy Center. As ambassadors for Utah, RDT proudly represents its community and its art form throughout the world.

The company has a long standing commitment to arts-in-education. In the early 1970's RDT was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts to develop multi-faceted arts residency programs for public schools. RDT has created activities which educate audience of all ages through classes, workshops, lectures and performances which reach over 30,000 school students each year in Utah alone. Projects have focused on ecology, literature, history and cultural diversity which give students and teachers tools to increase communication and develop self esteem as they increase their understanding and appreciation of world culture.

RDT strives to broaden the public's understanding of the art of modern dance through a variety of community based programs and acts as a resource center and laboratory for dancers, choreographers, visual artists, writers and composers. The company offers annual summer workshops and year-round classes to train aspiring professionals as well as inspire the creative potential in people of all ages.

In the early 1990's, RDT played a pivotal role in helping to revitalize downtown by embarking on a project to build a new performing arts center in the heart of Salt Lake City. The Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, RDT's home, enables the company to expand its potential and better serve the community. RDT is committed to increasing the public's awareness and deepen their understanding of the arts through a variety of activities, free lectures, informal performances and open rehearsals bringing alive an area of cultural and social activity.

(Historical Note taken from Repertory Dance Theatre's website at http://rdtutah.org/about.html)

The Repertory Dance Theatre records (1965-2004) consist mainly of the financial and business papers of this Salt Lake City-based modern dance company. Included in the collection are correspondence, notes, invoices, receipts, requisitions, purchase orders, applications, programs, reports, and other materials.

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Boxes 1-45 were donated by Repertory Dance Theatre in 1982 (26.25 linear feet).

Box 46 was donated in 2005 (0.5 linear feet).

Map case folder 1 was purchased from Tschanz Rare Books in 2020.

Processed by Lisa DeMille in 2005.

Map case folder 1, processed by Betsey Welland in 2020.

Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.

See also the Repertory Dance Theatre photograph collection (P0039) and Repertory Dance Theatre audio-visual collection (A0619) in the Multimedia Division of Special Collections.

A CD version of the Archives Index in box 46 is located in the Manuscripts Division's CD case.

 Repertory Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Records and correspondence Repertory Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Finance--Records and correspondence Repertory Dance Theatre (Salt Lake City, Utah)--Performances--Archives Dance companies--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives Modern dance--Utah Modern dance--Congresses Modern dance--Congresses--Attendance Performing Arts Applications Minutes (Records) Financial records Grant proposals Programs (Publications) Personal correspondence Conference materials Dance posters Business Files Correspondence 1965-1977 1 1-2 Accounting 1971-1972 1 3 Advisory Council Meetings 1966-1970 1 4 Accounts Receivable 1973-1978 1 5 Audit 1975 1 6 Bad Checks 1973-1978 1 7 Banking 1972-1977 1 8-9 Binder Contents 1976-1977 2 1-2 Bingham High School 1970 2 3 Budget 1960s-1970s 2 4-7 Budget 1960s-1970s 3 1 By-laws 3 2 Celebration 5 1970 3 3 Company Information 3 4 Contracts and Agreements 1967-1968 3 5 Deposits 1976-1977 3 6 Federal Grant Application 1969 7 Film Seminar 1971 3 8 Henry Holth 1969-1970 3 9 Income 1960s-1970s 3 10-11 Inventory 1968 3 12 Job Analysis 1968-1970 3 13 Journal Entries 1977 3 14 Name Lists 3 15 National Endowment for the Arts 1975-1978 4 1 News Articles 1960s-1980s 4 2 Omaha Residency 1969-1970 4 3 Payroll 1967-1975 4 4-6 Per Diem 1975-1976 4 7 Personnel Forms 1976-1977 4 8 Petty Cash 1968-1978 5 1-2 Progress Reports 1969-1970 5 3 Receipt Books 1974-1975 5 4-5 Receipts 1966-1975 6 1-2 Repertoire 1969 6 3 Rockefeller Grants 1966-1967 6 4 Schedules 1971 6 5 Season Incomes 1975-1976 6 6 Select Program 6 7 Statistics 1969-1971 6 8 Taxes 1973-1975 6 9 Time Cards 1972-1973 6 10 Tours 1970 6 11 Travel Vouchers 1966-1967 6 12 Workshop Accounts 1972-1973 6 13 Miscellaneous 6 14 Workshops Correspondence 1973-1978 7 1-2 Accompanists 7 3-4 Accounts Payable 1976 7 5 Addresses 1971 7 6 Advanced Composition Applications 1977 7 7 Applicants 1973-1978 7 8-9 Auditions 1978 8 1 Rebecca Bobele 1978 8 2 Brochures 1972-1977 8 3 Budget 1973-1978 8 4 Childhood Education Center 8 5 Choreography 1976-1978 8 6 Class Lists 8 7-10 Class Requests 9 1 Ze'eva Cohen 1978 9 2 Community Classes 1977-1978 9 3 Evaluations 1971-1977 9 4-7 Evening Class 1973 10 1 Forms 1976-1978 10 2 Fort Collins 1973-1978 10 3 Full Time People 1978 10 4-6 Housing 1971-1978 10 7 Judging 10 8 Judging 11 1-4 David Kranes 11 5 John Lahr, "The Theater of Sports" 11 6 Late Payments 1978 11 7 Liability Forms 1978 11 8 Management Class 1971-1973 11 9 Mini Workshop 1973-1975 11 10 Money Due 1977 11 11 Name Lists 1970s 12 1 No Shows 1976-1978 12 2-3 Notes 1975 12 4 Partial Applicants 1971-1976 12 5 Payment Records 1978 12 6 Payroll 12 7 Picnics 1972-1976 12 8 Production Emphasis 1971 12 9 Proposals 1970-1975 12 10 Publicists 1972-1977 12 11 Questionnaires 12 12 Receipts 1974-1978 13 1-2 Recommendations 1973-1974 13 3 Record Book 13 4 Regional Workshops 1972-1973 13 5 Registration 1973-1978 13 6-7 Salt Lake Workshop 1978 13 8 Schedules 1970s 13 9 Scholarships 1974-1975 14 1 Seminars and Films 1974 14 2 Spaces 1974-1978 14 3 Special Students 1973 14 4 Staff 1974-1975 14 5 Student Addresses 1973-1977 14 6 Student Choreographers 1972 14 7 Summer Workshop 1975 14 8 Summerdance 1975-1976 14 9 Teachers 1973-1976 14 10 Teacher's Course 1972 14 11 Tickets 1970-1976 14 12 To Do 14 13 Waiting Lists 1973-1975 14 14 Miscellaneous 14 15 Workshops, Applicants and Participants

Boxes 15-22 contain files pertaining to workshop applicants and participants. The files are arranged alphabetically according to the workshop year(s) they are associated with.

 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Al-Ni 1973 15 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, No-Yo 1973 16 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ac-Ly 1975 17 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ma-Zy 1975 18 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ad-Lo 1975-1976 19 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ma-Zl 1975-1976 20 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ac-Zw 1976-1977 21 Workshops, Applicants and Participants, Ad-Za 1976-1977 22 Financial Records

Boxes 23-35 contain account and financial records, mainly in the form of receipts, invoices, requisitions, and purchase orders.

 Accounting 1969-1971 23 1 Advertising 1971-1977 23 2-3 Alaska 1974-1975 23 4 Art Floral 1976 23 5 Avis 1972-1973 23 6 Bernina Sewing Center 1976-1977 23 7 Doug Bernstein 1972-1976 23 8 Blanket Orders 1969-1970 23 9 Butler Dance Supply 1971-1976 23 10 C. W. Silver and Co. 1975-1976 23 11 College Cleaners 1971-1976 23 12 Computer Services 1971-1976 23 13 Computer Services 1972-1977 24 1-2 Consultants 1975 24 3 Costumes 1971-1977 24 4 Credit Cards 1971-1977 24 5 Daily Utah Chronicle 1972-1974 24 6 Dance Royalties 1975-1976 24 7 Division of Continuing Education 1975 24 8 Eastern Tour 1973 24 9 Ed Williams Photography 1974 24 10 Equipment 1971-1976 24 11 Expenses 1975-1977 25 1-2 Facilities Rental 1971-1972 25 3 Film/Video 1971-1974 25 4 H. I. Enterprises 1974 25 5 Hall Rentals 1976-1977 25 6 Hertz Truck Rental 1970-1976 25 7 Honoraria 1972-1976 25 8-9 Income 1970-1977 26 1-5 Jensen Reproduction Co. 1971-1977 26 6 KALL Radio 1973-1974 27 1 KCPX Television 1972-1976 27 2 Kingsbury Hall 1972-1975 27 3 KLUB Broadcasting 1974 27 4 KRSP Radio 1973-1975 27 5 KSL Radio 1974-1975 27 6 KUTV 1972-1973 27 7 KWHO Radio 1974-1976 27 8 KWMS 1977 27 9 Lighting 1971-1974 27 10 Living Expenses 1973 27 11 Lodging 1975-1977 27 12 Lorraine Press 1975-1976 27 13 Mason-Relkin Co. 1976 27 14 Midwest Tour 1974-1976 27 15 Motels 1971-1972 27 16 Motels 1976 28 1 Motor Pool 1971-1974 28 2 Mt. Olympus Water 1975-1977 28 3 Music/Sound 1971-1975 28 4 Newspaper Agency Corp. 1972-1977 28 5 Office Supplies 1971-1972 28 6 Olympus High School 1970 28 7 Paragon Press 1972-1975 28 8 Patrick Dry Goods Co. 1970-1977 28 9 Performance Hall 1972-1977 28 10 Photography 1973-1976 28 11 Physical Plant Operations 1969-1976 29 1-2 Postage 1971-1977 29 3-4 Printing 1975-1977 29 5 Public Relations 1971-1972 29 6 Public Relations 1973-1975 30 1 Publicity 1975 30 2 Reagan Outdoor Advertising 1976 30 3 Leon Reese 1976 30 4 Reimbursements 1969 30 5 Roger Merrill Graphic Arts 1976 30 6 Royalties 1974-1975 30 7 Ryder Truck Rental 1973-1977 30 8 Seagull Printing Services 1976-1977 30 9 Sets/Props 1970-1975 30 10-12 Silver State Suppliers 1975-1976 30 13 Smith's Printing 1972-1974 30 14 Space Rental 1975 30 15 Spring Tour 1977 30 16 Stockdale and Co. 1971-1976 31 1 Stores and Receiving Dept. 1969-1970 31 2 Summerdance 1976 31 3 Supplies 1972-1977 31 4-8 Taffy's 1971-1976 31 9 Technical Design and Management 1976-1977 32 1 Telephone 1971-1977 32 2-4 A. R. Terry 1972-1974 32 5 Tickets and Seating 1968-1970 32 6 Tom Kerrigan, Inc. 1976 32 7 Tour Expenses 1970-1975 32 8-9 Tour Income 1971-1976 33 1-2 Touring 1974-1975 33 3 Travel 1968-1977 33 4-6 Travel 1969-1976 34 1-4 Tuition 1972 34 5 Twin Typographers 1973-1974 34 6 Universal Theater Supply 1976-1977 34 7 University Bookstore 1969-1970 34 8 Utah Holiday Magazine 1972-1976 35 1 Utah State Division of Fine Arts 1976 35 2 Utah Symphony 1972-1976 35 3 Wages 1968-1977 35 4 Western Alliance 1972-1973 35 5 Western States Arts Foundation 1976 35 6 Work Study 1976 35 7 Workshops 1971-1973 35 8-9 Xerox 1977-1979 35 10 The Yardstick 1971-1977 35 11 Miscellaneous 35 12 Campus Orders 1970s 36

Boxes 36-40 contain financial records that were not originally kept with any specific name file. Although each box is labeled according to the bulk format present, other materials may also be included. For example, purchase orders may be grouped with sister requisitions. Some correspondence and other papers can be found in the boxes as well.

 Purchase Orders and Requisitions 1960s-1970s 37 Requisitions 1960s-1970s 38 Requisitions 1960s-1970s 39 General Materials and Oversize Records Programs and Announcements 1970s-1980s 40 Batch Reports 1968-1976 41 Batch Reports 1971-1975 42 Batch Reports 1975-1977 43 Hourly and Work-study Records 1969-1975 44 1 Payroll Process 1975-1977 44 2-3 Personnel Action Forms 1975-1976 45 1-2 Salaried Records 1969-1975 45 3 Archive Index 1966-2004 46 Map Case Promotional posters 1

Contains posters for the 10th year anniversary, "Now...An Evening of Contemporaty Dance," "Backstage Jitters," "Alice in Wonderland," and "Firestorm."