Margot Mayo notes on the history of dance
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Date
Creator
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Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection includes research notes compiled circa 1950s by Margot Mayo (1910-1974), mostly concerning the history of dance, dancers, and dancing instruction in New York City and the nation from 1730-1900.
Biographical / Historical
Margot Mayo was a teacher of music and dance in the New York City school system, and perhaps best known for her connections with American folk music and square dancing. (Margot is not to be confused with the actress Margaret Mayo.) She was born in Texas in 1910, moving in the 1930s to New York where she lived the rest of her life. She was a founder of the American Square Dance Group in 1934, editor of the magazine Promenade, and author of "The American Square Dance" in 1943. Mayo died in New York in 1974.
(This note was based on Mayo's entry in Wikipedia.)
Arrangement
The documents remain boxed and foldered as received by N-YHS. Although generally orderly and accessible, some of the index cards appear to be out of proper sequence, especially those from the chronological set.
Scope and Contents
The collection includes research notes compiled by Margot Mayo, mostly concerning the history of dance, dancers, and dancing instruction in New York City and the nation from 1730-1900. The bulk of the collection consists of index cards with notes, often very brief, on individual dancers or topics. These may have been compiled in connection with an unrealized book project by Mayo as there are also fragmentary manuscript writings for chapters on the history of dancing/dancers in New York City.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers. Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact manuscripts@nyhistory.org prior to your research visit to coordinate access. Keep in mind that it will take between two (2) and five (5) business days for collections to arrive, and you should plan your research accordingly.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Margot Mayo notes on the history of dance, MS 406, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information has not been determined.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The collection has been only minimally processed. The documents for the most part remain in the original index card boxes, letterbox, and folders as received by N-YHS. The collection was first cataloged in 1985. This finding aid was prepared by archivist Larry Weimer in September 2021