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Margot Mayo notes on the history of dance

Call Number

MS 406

Date

circa 1950s, inclusive

Creator

Mayo, Margot, 1910-1974

Extent

3 Linear feet in 3 record cartons

Language of Materials

The documents in the collection are in English.

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.

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

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.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquisition information has not been determined.

Collection processed by

Larry Weimer

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:48:00 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

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

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024