OHIO
UNIVERSITY TO RECEIVE MURRAY LOUIS DANCE
COLLECTION
Contact:
Colleen Carow Girton, (740) 597-2987
ATHENS,
Ohio -- World-renowned choreographer and dancer Murray Louis
has designated Ohio University as the repository for his
comprehensive modern dance archive. The collection, an
archive of Louis's work and that of Alwin Nikolais, his
mentor and lifelong partner, will be housed in the archives
of Ohio University Libraries' Alden
Library.
Covering
half a century of work in modern dance, the collection
includes costumes, props, film, videos, music scores,
photographs, flyers, posters, programs and other artifacts
that chronicle the legacy its namesakes have left to the
history of American modern dance.
Louis,
artistic director of New York City's Murray Louis Dance Co.,
is known throughout the world as one of the premier male
dancers. He has choreographed pieces for Rudolf Nureyev,
Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival and the Royal
Danish Ballet.
Louis has
been honored with three Guggenheim Fellowships and grants
from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ford,
Rockefeller and Mellon foundations.
Nikolais,
who died in 1993, was founder of the internationally
acclaimed Nikolais Dance Theater. His theatrical vision
brought a new dimension to the visual and aural environments
of dance.
Louis
chose Ohio University, in part, because of his relationship
with Distinguished Professor of Dance Gladys Bailin, a
former dance partner of his.
"Ohio
University was an instinctive and assuring choice because
the tradition was begun and built with Gladys Bailin," Louis
said. "It was just a natural choice."
Ohio
University President Robert Glidden will award Louis with an
honorary degree for his lifelong creativity and contribution
to the arts at commencement June 12.
"Given the
School
of Dance's
reputation as one of the nation's top-quality programs, this
acquisition is a testament to the success of our outstanding
faculty and students, Glidden said. "It is our hope that we
may be able to make this fine collection available online so
that, eventually, scholars around the nation and world will
benefit from being able to study it."
Leonard R.
Raley, vice president for alumni
relations
and development,
said, "Murray's grand gesture is just one example of the
many ways alumni and friends can give back to the
university. This gift is one of the most significant
archival collections of modern dance materials in the
country, and it will be a great resource --as well as a
source of pride -- for the university."
Portions
of the collection, which will be shipped in installments,
will begin arriving at Alden Library in September.
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