Finding Aid for the Elyse Robert collection on Ruth St. Denis, 1932-1991
Processed by Kelley Wolfe Bachli in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), 2009; machine-readable finding aid
created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2009
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Elyse Robert collection on Ruth St. Denis
Date (inclusive): 1932-1991
Collection number: 1735
Creator:
St. Denis, Ruth
Extent:
1 document box (.5 linear feet)
3 oversize costume boxes.
Abstract: Elyse Robert (1901-1993) danced for Ruth St. Denis' Church of the Divine Dance between 1934 and 1968. During this time, Robert
performed with Ruth St. Denis (1880-1968), a pioneer of modern dance, for many events and in numerous churches in the Los
Angeles area. Collection includes dance costumes, correspondence, programs, photographs, and notes about Ruth St. Denis performances.
Language: Finding aid is written in
English.
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Physical location: Box 4 stored off-site at SRLF. Boxes 1-3 stored on-site. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact
the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library,
Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of
the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC
Regents do not hold the copyright.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of Mark Robert, 2006.
Processing Note
Processed by Kelley Wolfe Bachli in the Center for Primary Research and Training (CFPRT), 2009.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Elyse Robert collection on Ruth St. Denis (Collection 1735). Department of Special Collections,
Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Elyse Robert (1901-1993) danced for Ruth St. Denis' Church of the Divine Dance between 1934 and 1968. During this time, Robert
performed with Ruth St. Denis (1880-1968), a pioneer of modern dance, for many events and in numerous churches in the Los
Angeles area.
Scope and Content
Collection includes material by and about Elyse Robert and Ruth St. Denis, including correspondence, programs, photographs,
and notes about Ruth St. Denis dances and costumes. Boxes 1-3 in the collection contain costumes that belonged to Elyse Robert
and were probably used in her dance performance with Ruth St. Denis. Box 4 contains photographs of dancers, newspaper clippings,
programs, and dance choreography.
Organization and Arrangement
- Boxes 1-3: costumes that belonged to Elyse Robert and were probably used in her dance performance with Ruth St. Denis.
- Box 4: photographs of dancers, newspaper clippings, programs, and dance choreography.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Elyse Robert.
Ruth St. Denis
Related Material
Box 1, Folder 1
White floor length, long sleeve gown with weighted bottom hem
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 1, Folder 2
Two cream colored floor lenth capes with tassles
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 2, Folder 1
Blue sari with silver ribbon trim
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 2, Folder 2
White floor length, long sleeve gown with weighted bottom hem
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 2, Folder 3
Two cream colored long sleeve, v-neck gowns
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 3, Folder 1
Six rope belts, one crochet skull cap, one crochet scarf, and one beaded crown
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 3, Folder 2
Cream colored floor length, long sleeve, scoop neck gown
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 3, Folder 3
Cream colored floor length, zip-up gown
undated
Note
Boxes 1-3 are stored in the B-level stacks on top of Rare Books, Range 15.
Box 4, Folder 1
Photographs of Ruth St. Denis and other dancers. Many of the photographs are inscribed to Elyse Robert. 29 photographs and
2 negatives.
1932 -1952, 1991, and undated
Box 4, Folder 2
Photocopies of photographs of Ruth St. Denis and other dancers.
undated
Box 4, Folder 3
Newspaper clippings of advertisements and article critiques about Ruth St. Denis performances
1945 March - 1954 December
Box 4, Folder 4
Poems, some by Ruth St. Denis, many unattributed
undated
Box 4, Folder 5
Correspondence to Elyse Robert
1940, 1991, and undated
Box 4, Folder 6
Dance choreography
undated
Box 4, Folder 7
Ruth St. Denis and Elyse Robert dance programs
1945-1957
Box 4, Folder 8
Writings by Ruth St. Denis and Elyse Robert
1947 and undated
Box 4, Folder 9
Religious images, pamphlets and printed material
1962 and undated
Box 4, Folder 10
Society of Spiritual Arts programs and informational handout
undated
Box 4, Folder 11
Scrapbook of poems, hand written programs, clipping, and Winter 1993 issue of Sacred Dance Guild Journal
1993 and undated
Box 4, Folder 12
Elyse Robert obituary and 2 photographs
undated