OU-TR0018 Guide to the Mascot Moskovina Vesley Papers Finding aid prepared by Rex Hughes, II, Archival Intern The Ohio State University. Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute.
119 Thompson Library1858 Neil Ave MallColumbus, OH 43210
2017 Finding aid encoded by Rex Hughes, II using the OhioLINK EAD Application in 2012 Finding aid written in English Finding aid prepared using DACS Overview of the Collection The Ohio State University. Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute. Mascot Moskovina Vesley Mascot Moskovina Vesley Papers 1 boxes (27 folders) The collection comprises several letters of correspondence written by Mascot Moskovina Vesely, the first American to dance Anna Pavlova's company in the early twentieth century. Mascot addresses the majority of her letters to Mrs. Billie Morton and her ward, Nondas, a young girl determined to become a ballet dancer. The letters provide an account of Pavlova's South American tour from 1915-1918, the reception of the audience, and her attitude towards the company. In addition to describing the performances and trials of the company, this collection of letters and journal entries also contains several hand-drawn illustrations of costumes and dancing poses, some of which were used to instruct Nondas concerning classical dancing styles. SPEC.TRI.MMV.1.1 The records are in English Thompson Library Special Collections1914-19201914-1920 Biography of Mascot Moskovina Vesley

Mascot (born 1896, Camp Mascot, New York; died 1980, Ormond Beach, Florida) had early training in gymnastics and dancing lessons through the Blackburn Academy of Pittsburgh. At the age of sixteen, she was given the opportunity to audition with Lydia Kyasht during a visit with her parents to London. She went on to become the first American to dance in Anna Pavlova's company in 1914, and she danced numerous roles with Pavlova on her South American tour (1915-1918). Most of the letters contained in this collection were writtenduring this time. After leaving the company, she was unable to return to the United States due to the events of World War I and her husband being German. She stayed in South America to dance until 1919, at which point she returned to the United States and founded a dance studio in Florida in 1928. She was married five times during her lifetime and taught dance until her death in 1980.

Scope and Content

This collection contains 21 autographed letters; 4 journal entries; and matching or non-matching envelopes from the dancer Mascot Louise Osbaldeston Vesley (1896-1980). The correspondence covers several years (1914-1920) of Mascot Moskovina Vesley's experience as a dancer within Anna Pavlova's dance company and her experience as a dancer in South America. Some letters possess illustrations of dance costumes and classical poses used in the company. The majority of the letters are addressed to Miss Billie Morton and her ward, "Little Nondas." Mascot often provides dancing advice to the young girl, who was interested in ballet instruction.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection currently stands as a single series and has been divided into 27 folders as follows: Folder 1.1.1: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 31 October 1915 Folder 1.1.2: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Nondas" [8 December 1915] Folder 1.1.3: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 28 October 1916 Folder 1.1.4: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 27 December 1916 and 7 January 1917 Folder 1.1.5: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" [8 January 1917] Folder 1.1.6: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton & Nondas" 14 February 1917 Folder 1.1.7: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 11 April 1917 Folder 1.1.8: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 8 June 1917 Folder 1.1.9: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Billie" 14 August 1917 Folder 1.1.10: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Little Nondas" [August 1917] Folder 1.1.11: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Little Nondas and Mrs. Morton" 11 November 1917 Folder 1.1.12: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton & Nondas" 7 January 1918 Folder 1.1.13: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 27 February 1918 Folder 1.1.14: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Little Nondas" [1918-1919] Folder 1.1.15: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Billie & Nondas" 3 February 1919 Folder 1.1.16: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Billie & Little Nondas" [11 February 1919] Folder 1.1.17: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Billie & Nondas" 26 November 1919 Folder 1.1.18: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton & Nondas" 5 January 1920 Folder 1.1.19: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Billie & Nondas" 29 February 1920 Folder 1.1.20: Correspondence: Env. ALS "Mascot to Billie" 27 May 1920 Folder 1.1.21: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Little Nondas" [Undated] Folder 1.1.22: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Little Nondas" [Undated] Folder 1.1.23: Correspondence: ALS "Mascot to Mr. Oukrainsky" [Undated] Folder 1.1.24: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Morton" 20 March 1918 Folder 1.1.25: Env. ALS "Mascot to Mrs. Billie Morton" 19 November 1919 Folder 1.1.26: Env. ALS "Tarieta Postal" [Undated] Folder 1.1.27: Journal Pages ALS "Pavlova, Nondas in Chicago" 24-30 March 1914

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on accessing material in this collection. Copyright restrictions may apply to materials. Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the repository and from the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation

Mascot Moskovina Vesley Papers, 1914-1920. Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute. Ohio State University Special Collections.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.