2023-03-29 Guide to the Billie Mahoney Papers, 1950-2013 SPEC.TRI.0098 Finding aid prepared by Lindsay Resnick Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections

1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210

2023 March This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2024-11-21T12:52-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Billie Mahoney Papers SPEC.TRI.0098 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 3.3 Cubic feet 1950-2013 Billie R. Mahoney (1927-2022) was a dancer, teacher, choreographer, dance notator, and television host originally from Kansas City, Missouri, who worked with many organizations, including the Dance Notation Bureau and the International Conference of Kinetography Laban. The Billie Mahoney Papers, dated 1950-2013, contain correspondence, teaching materials, research papers, handwritten and typed labanotation, and a VHS-C videocassette recording related to her education and careers. (5) 5" letter document boxes; (3) oversize folders; (2) 5" legal document boxes English Mahoney, Billie Arrangement of Materials

This collection is arranged in 6 series:

Series 1: Teaching Series 2: Research and Writing Series 3: Labanotation Series 4: Dance On! With Billie Mahoney Series 5: Performance Series 6: Education

Acquisitions Information

Accession No. TRI.2022.0005: C. Colby Jacques, 2022 August

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Billie Mahoney Papers, SPEC.TRI.0098, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute, Ohio State University

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains a VHS-C videocassette.

Access to Materials

Audio/visual materials may need a use copy produced before access is allowed. The remainder of the materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

Processing Information

Processed by: Lindsay Resnick, 2023 March; Finding aid written by: Lindsay Resnick, 2023 March

Biographical Note

Billie R. Mahoney (1927-2022) was a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and dance notator. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Mahoney earned her Bachelor’s degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Kansas City (renamed in 1963 as the University of Missouri-Kansas City) and her Master of Media Studies degree from the New School for Social Research. In 1950 she moved to New York City, where she worked as a tap dancer and baton twirler in various night clubs, as well as on the Ed Sullivan Show. Eventually, Mahoney began teaching dance and dance notation at various institutions of higher education, including the Juilliard School, Queens College, and others, and became an authority on modern jazz dance. During the 1960s, Mahoney served as the Educational Program Director for the Dance Notation Bureau. Mahoney also served as the Rehearsal Director for the José Limón Dance Company.

While in New York, Mahoney created and hosted the cable access television show Dance On! With Billie Mahoney, where she interviewed hundreds of prominent dancers and choreographers. The show aired on local channels across the United States.

From 1989 to 1992, Mahoney served as the Coordinator of Dance for the Department of Physical Education and Theatre Arts at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. In 1992, she returned to her hometown of Kansas City, where she started a tap dance company and worked with the Kansas City Ballet.

Mahoney died in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 94.

Scope and Contents

The Billie Mahoney Papers, dated 1950-2013, contains materials related to Mahoney's education and careers as a dancer, teacher, dance notator, researcher, and television host. These include correspondence, teaching materials such as class notes and syllabi, drafts and final versions of research papers, photographs, newspaper clippings, a VHS-C videocassette recording, and Mahoney's employee identification cards from her time as a professional dancer. Also included are drafts and final versions of labanotation created by Mahoney and others, as well as dance instruction books featuring printed labanotation. Much of the research and correspondence in the collection relates to labanotation and movement study, and Mahoney's involvement with the Dance Notation Bureau and the International Conference of Kinetography Laban.

Dance Notation Bureau (New York, N.Y.) Dance On! With Billie Mahoney International Council of Kinetography Laban Mahoney, Billie Choreographers--20th century Choreographers--21st century Correspondence Dance notation Dance teachers--United States--20th century Dance teachers--United States--21st century Dance--Research--20th century Dance--Research--21st century Labanotation--Study and teaching--20th century Labanotation--Study and teaching--21st century Research (documents) Research notes Women dancers--United States--20th century Women dancers--United States--21st century Teaching Series 1 1954-2010 Scope and Contents

Series 1: Teaching, dated 1954-2010, contains materials related to Billie Mahoney's work as a dance teacher as well as a teacher of labanotation at various schools and organizations throughout her career, including the Dance Notation Bureau, the Juilliard School, Queens College, and Northern Illinois University; as well as materials relating to workshops she taught throughout the country and the world. Also included in this series is Mahoney's correspondence with other teachers of dance and of dance notation.

Arrangement of Materials

Series 1: Teaching, is arranged in chronological order, with undated items at the end of the list. For those folders with identical dates, they are further arranged in alphabetical order.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Contains a VHS-C videocassette.

Dance Notation Bureau: Albrecht Kunst course 1 1 1954-1958 Correspondence with János Fügedi 1 2 circa 1955, 1994-2007 Dance Notation Bureau: Dictation intermediate course worksheets and examinations 1 3 1956 Dance Notation Bureau: Correspondence, examinations, and other material 6 1 1958-circa 1970 Dance Notation Bureau: Elementary Labanotation course examinations and correspondence 1 4 1958, 1979 Dance Notation Bureau: Classical ballet correspondence course 1 5 1959 Dance Notation Bureau: Advanced correspondence course 1 6 circa 1960 Dance Notation Bureau: Patricia Kieffer correspondence and examinations 1 7 1963 New York Society of Teachers of Dancing: "Labanotation" lecture 1 8 1963 January 13 Language of Dance Centre: Modern course 1 9 1965 Dance Notation Bureau: Effort-Shape course proposal 1 10 1965-1966 Dance Notation Bureau: "Few Know She's an Artist at Labanotation" Kansas City Star clipping 1 11 1967 October 29 Dance Notation Bureau: Correspondence 1 12 1968-1969 Correspondence with Lucy Venable 6 2 1968-1999 Dance Notation Bureau: Leonide Massine course correspondence 1 13 1969 Dance Notation Bureau: Technical Advisory Panel 6 3 1969 Dance Notation Bureau: "Read and Dance" course notes and drafts 6 4 circa 1970s Correspondence with Gwendolyn Walsh 1 14 1970-1982 Juilliard School: Sample exams and quizzes 1 15 1971, 1974 Freelance work: Texas and New Mexico workshops 1 16 1971-1985 José Limón Dance Foundation work 6 5 1972-1976, 1993 Juilliard School: Performance programs 1 17 1972, 1974 Juilliard School: "Juilliard News Bulletin" 1 18 1973-1974 Jazz North and Worthington Civic Ballet 1 24 1974 Correspondence with Barbara Burrows 1 20 1974-1981 Juilliard School: "Examples of Indication for Time" student projects 1 21 1976 Queens College: "Negro Spirituals" binder 2 1 1976 Freelance work: Teaching résumés 2 2 after 1976-2010 Juilliard School: Master's notation course examinations 2 3 circa 1980 Northern Illinois University: Syllabus 2 4 1991 Spring Kansas City: Promotional materials 2 5 2000 Freelance work: T'ai Chi Chu'an workshop 2 6 2004, 2007 Language of Dance Centre: Introductory packet 2 7 undated Dance Notation Bureau: Martha Hill Tribute videocassette 5 1 1984 April 9 Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Box 5, Item 1 VHS-C videocassette; color; sound; Approximate run time: unknown Unidentified cardboard discs possibly used as teaching aids 2 8 undated Research and Writing Series 2 1951-2013 Scope and Contents

Series 2: Research and Writing, dated 1951-2013, contains articles, papers, notes, and correspondence relating to the research work that Mahoney and colleagues performed, as well as photographs and other materials relating to conferences she attended and/or presented at.

Arrangement of Materials

Series 2: Research and Writing, is arranged in chronological order based on the organization that each piece of research was created for. For those materials that are not related to a particular organization, or if the related organization is unknown, the items are also arranged in chronological order, with undated items at the end of the list. Folders with identical dates are arranged in alphabetical order by folder title.

Dance Notation Bureau: "Reading Material" 2 9 1951 Dance Notation Bureau: "Changes and New Developments in Labanotation" 2 10 1966 Dance Notation Bureau: Papers on proposed changes to Labanotation 6 6 1966-1967 Dance Notation Bureau: Textbook revision drafts 2 11-12 1966-1967 Shoulder-area research 2 13 1969 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference notebook 2 14 1969 August 6-16 "Jazz Dance" draft 2 15 circa 1970 Dance Notation Bureau: Jack Cole project 6 7 1976 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference photographs 2 16 1976-1987 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Research Committee commentary 3 5 1977 June Resesarch notes 6 8 1967-1977 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Correspondence 6 9 1967-1986 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Correspondence with Ann Hutchinson 7 1 1968-1983, 1994 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference reports 7 2 1969-1975 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Research Committee meeting notes 7 3 1971 International Council of Kinetography Laban: "The Application of the Inner Subsidiary Column" notes and drafts 7 4 1971-1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference notes 7 5 1973 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Research Panel correspondence with Maria Szentpal 7 6 1976-1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Research Panel correspondence 3 1 2 17 1977-1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Validity correspondence 7 7 1978-1979 Juilliard School: Correspondence with Mary Jane Warner 3 2 1978-1979 International Laban Centenary Symposium 3 3 1979 Dance Notation Bureau: Comments to The Labanotator 3 4 1979-1980 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference at Chantilly, France photographs and negatives 3 5 1979 August "New Motif Writing Developments" paper 3 6 circa 1980 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Technical Matters Questionnaire responses 3 7 1980 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Executive Committee correspondence and notes 3 8 1980-1982 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference research papers 3 9 1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Kneeling research 7 8 1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Responses to conference research papers 3 10 1981 International Council of Kinetography Laban: "Time Signs" drafts and comments 3 11 1981 International Dance Council 3 12 1981-1982 Arm research and correspondence 7 9 1982-1983 Language of Dance Centre correspondence and publications 3 13 1983 International Congress of Movement Notation presentation: "Notation as a Tool for Video" 3 14 1984 August International Movement Notation Alliance: LabanWriter workshops 3 15 1987-1990 Dance Notation Bureau: Doris Humphrey: The Collected Works, Volume 2 4 1 1992 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Conference scrapbook 4 2 1997 International Council of Kinetography Laban: "Use of Labanotation Shorthand for Clarification of Rhythms for Tap Dance" conference presentation 4 3 2001 Roderyk Lange letter and book 4 4 2008-2009 International Council of Kinetography Laban: Received research papers 4 5 2011-2013 Labanotation Series 3 1950-circa 2004 Scope and Contents

Series 3, Labanotation, dated 1950-circa 2004, contains pieces of labanotation created by Billie Mahoney and others, such as Ann Hutchinson. Some are published, while others are in draft form.

Arrangement of Materials

Series 3, Labanotation, is arranged into two subseries:

Subseries 3.1: Notation by Mahoney Subseries 3.2: Notation by Others

Notation by Mahoney Subseries 3.1 1950-circa 2004 Scope and Contents

Subseries 3.1: Notation by Mahoney, contains pieces notated by Billie Mahoney. Folders are arranged in chronological order, with undated folders at the end of the list. If folders have the same date, they are arranged in alphabetical order by the title of the folder.

"An Authentic Sarabande" 4 6 1950 "Banjo Mambo" 7 10 1955 The Man With the Golden Arm: "Main Title" choreographed by Jon Gregory 4 7 1956 "The Twist" 4 8 1962 "Jazz Technique" 4 9 circa 1963 "Body-tone-ology in Modern Jazz" 4 10 1963 "Take Five" 7 11 1964 Mame 4 11 circa 1965 "Sweet Charity" 4 12 circa 1966 Various handwritten notations and notes 4 13 1970s-1992 Pippin 4 14 circa 1980s "Tone Poem" 4 15 circa 1980s "Steam Heat" 4 16 circa 1990 "En El Cortijo" choreographed by José Greco 7 13 1995 Paint Your Wagon: "Another Autumn" choreographed by Agnes de Mille 4 17 circa 2004 "The Shim Sham" 4 18 circa 2004 Giselle: "Waltz" 4 19 undated "Kansas City" 4 20 undated Notation by Others Subseries 3.2 1954-1984 Scope and Contents

Subseries 3.2: Notation by Others, contains pieces notated by people other than Billie Mahoney. Folders are arranged in chronological order. If folders have the same date, they are arranged in alphabetical order by the title of the folder.

Swan Lake: "Dance of the Little Swans" choreographed by George Balanchine and notated by Ann Hutchinson 7 13 1954 16 Dances in 16 Rhythms choreographed by Ted Shawn and notated by Ann Hutchinson 7 14 1956 Better Dancing with Fred Astaire notated by Ann Hutchinson 7 15 1957 The Nutcracker: "Dance of the Reed Pipes" choreographed by Lev Ivanov and notated by Ann Hutchinson 4 21 1961 The Sleeping Beauty: "Six Fairy Variations" choreographed by Marius Pepita and notated by Ann Hutchinson 7 16 1961 Swan Lake: "Pas de Trois" notated by an unknown person 4 22 circa 1965 Scope and Contents

Includes a handwritten note that reads "Could be done by Billie but I'm not sure."

"To Marguerite for Her 80th Birthday" choreographed and notated by Sigurd Leeder 4 23 1976 Fanny Elssler's Cachucha transcribed from the original Zorn notation by Ann Hutchinson TRI Shared 9 1 1981 Labanotation for Ballet Dancers by Allan Miles 4 24 1984 Tomlinson's Gavot edited by Noa Eshkol 5 1 1984 Dance On! With Billie Mahoney Series 4 1980-1994 Scope and Contents

Series 4: Dance On! With Billie Mahoney, dated 1980-1994, contains materials relating to Mahoney's cable access television show, Dance On!, which aired in various locations from 1980 to 1996. On Dance On!, Mahoney interviewed prominent dancers and choreographers. Folders in this series are arranged in chronological order.

Correspondence 5 2 1980-1993 Dance Films Association correspondence and entry forms 5 3 1981-1994 Listings and promotional material 5 4 1982-1992 Newsletters 5 5 1983-1984 Performance Series 5 1950s, 2002-circa 2004 Scope and Contents

Series 5: Performance, dated 1950s-circa 2004, contains materials related to Billie Mahoney's career as a dancer. Items in the series include photographs, newspaper articles, and employee identification cards. Folders are arranged in chronological order.

Promotional photographs 5 6 TRI Shared 9 2 1950s Employee identification cards 5 7 1951, 1953 The Fabulous Follies of Palm Springs promotional materials 5 8 2002 The Overland Park Sun TRI Shared 9 3 2002 July 17 Reminiscences 5 9 circa 2004 Education Series 6 1973-1981, 1996 Scope and Contents

Series 6: Education, dated 1973-1981, 1996, contains materials relating to Billie Mahoney's activities as an alumna of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and as a graduate student at the New School, as well as in a course she took at Ohio State University. Folders in this series are arranged in chronological order.

University of Missouri-Kansas City Thirteenth Annual Alumni Awards Dinner program 5 10 1973 November 29 University of Missouri-Kansas City Bulletin 7 17 1973-1974 New School computer programming coursework 7 18 1980 New School term paper about Dance On! With Billie Mahoney 5 11 1980 New School semiotics coursework 5 12 1981 Ohio State University Multimedia Workshop in Dance Documentation and Preservation 5 13 1996