Scope and Content Note
The Sophie Maslow Papers includes photographs of Maslow’s choreography spanning the 1930s to the 1980s, as well as photographs of choreography by others, notably Martha Graham, Jane Dudley, and William Bales. The collection also includes headshots, photographs of various dancers of the time, programs, promotional materials, newspaper clippings, articles, correspondence, business documents, Maslow’s writings, writings by others, and music scores. Of note are the numerous photographs, programs, and promotional materials relating to Maslow’s many years as choreographer for the annual Chanukah Festivals for Israel. Another area of particular interest is the large quantity of original, often holograph scores of music composed for Maslow’s choreographic works.
The Photographs series consists of documentation of Maslow’s choreography, choreography by others, and other performance-related material. Photographs of rehearsal, studio photoshoots, and performance document thirty of Maslow’s dances choreographed between 1934 and 1985, organized alphabetically by title of dance. Included are dances choreographed during Maslow’s time as a member of the New Dance Group, the Dudley-Maslow-Bales Trio, and as the director of the Sophie Maslow Dance Company.
Also included is documentation of pieces by Jane Dudley and William Bales, as well as Martha Graham dances in which Maslow performed, organized alphabetically by title. Maslow’s headshots are undated and organized approximately chronologically. Other performance-related materials, such as photos of dance colleagues and associates, are included, along with photos of the company and a small number of personal photographs.
The Programs series consists of programs for performances by the New Dance Group, the Dudley-Maslow-Bales Trio, the Sophie Maslow Dance Company, the Chanukah Festivals, and various other performances with which Maslow was involved. The programs are organized chronologically.
The Promotional Materials series is organized chronologically where dates are known, but much of the material is undated and is located immediately following the dated material. The series includes various leaflets and booklets of photographs and press blurbs produced to promote the Sophie Maslow Dance Company. Also included are posters, flyers, and promotions for the New Dance Group and the Dudley-Maslow-Bales Trio. Of note are a selection of small, collectible cards produced by Capezio Dance Wear featuring Maslow’s piece Dust Bowl Ballads.
The Clippings and Articles series consists of reviews of Maslow’s choreography, photo features of both Maslow’s choreography and her time as a performer, articles written by Maslow, interviews with her, encyclopedia entries on her, and various other writings. The series is organized chronologically with undated clippings located at the end.
The Martha Graham Postcards series consists of postcards featuring images of Graham dances in which Sophie Maslow appears.
The Writings series consists of two subseries: Writings by Sophie Maslow and Writings by Others. Writings by Sophie Maslow includes rehearsal notes, scripts for technique demonstrations, resumes, and various unidentified notes. None of the material is dated.
The Writings by Others subseries consists of various scripts and stories, including those which were used as inspiration for choreography, as well as those which described or were featured in Maslow’s choreography. Also included are speeches and letters honoring Maslow and letters written to Maslow requesting a performance or the rights to restage her work. Two documents pertaining to the bylaws and nonprofit status of the New Dance Group are also included. Of note is a collection of materials sent by the José Limon Dance Foundation, which were used in a restaging of Maslow’s work Champion (1948). Material is organized chronologically with undated documents located at the end.
The Music Scores series consists of a large amount of music, most of which was used for choreographic works and includes annotations regarding choreography. The series is organized alphabetically by composer or arranger, with unidentified music located at the end. Of note is the original score for Champion composed by Samuel Matlovsky, Robert Starer’s composition The Dybbuk used for Maslow’s dance Neither Rest nor Harbor, as well as a number of other holographs and ozalids of original compositions used for various choreographic works.