Bethune Theatredanse records, 1957-2012

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Summary

Creators:
Bethune Theatredanse
Abstract:
Materials related to the history and operations of the Bethune Theatredanse dance company, and its arts education program Infinite Dreams (formerly known as Dance Outreach), both founded by Zina Bethune. Includes administrative and fundraising records, clippings, photographs, and audio-visual materials documenting Bethune Theatredanse's multi-media productions as well as Dance Outreach activities.
Extent:
44.8 linear feet (17 document boxes, 36 record cartons, and 2 oversize flat boxes)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bethune Theatredanse Records (Collection 2304). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

Materials related to the history and operations of the Bethune Theatredanse dance company, and its arts education program Infinite Dreams, formerly known as Dance Outreach, both founded by Zina Bethune. Administrative series includes business records, promotional and publicity materials, programs, artist files, performance ideas, and participation in area events and festivals. Also includes some biographical information about founder Zina Bethune. Development and fundraising includes materials related to grants, benefits, outreach, and Bethune Theatredanse's involvement in the Los Angeles Theatre Center Cooperative. Production files consist of scripts, budgets, advertising, reviews, and other materials. Clippings document the activities of Zina Bethune, Bethune Theatredanse, and Dance Outreach. Photographs and audio-visual include Zina Bethune, Bethune Theatredanse dancers and productions, and Dance Outreach students and activities.

Biographical / historical:

Zina Bianca Bethune was born in New York City on February 17, 1945, the daughter of Ivy (Vigder) and William Charles Bethune. She started formal ballet training at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet at six years old. By the age of 14, Bethune was dancing with the New York City Ballet while simultaneously working as an actor, appearing in a variety of television series and movies. Alongside Harvey Keitel, she starred in Martin Scorsese's first feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door, released in 1967. She also reached a wide audience via her role on the CBS TV series The Nurses from 1962-1965. Bethune continued her parallel acting and dancing careers the rest of her life, appearing in several television film and Broadway productions throughout the 1970s-1990s.

Dance became Bethune's top priority however, and in 1979 she started Zina Bethune and Company, focusing on a traditional ballet repertoire. She moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and debuted her company as Bethune Ballet. By 1987 the company had evolved into Bethune Theatredanse, producing original multi-media performances often based on literature or film. Major productions included Mind's Eye, Bird of Passage, Cradle of Fire, and Silent Roar.

Bethune endured a number of health problems from a young age, including scoliosis, lymphedema, and hip dysplasia. Determined to keep dancing, she underwent several surgeries and wore custom orthopedic tights the rest of her life in order to perform. Motivated by her own experience, she formed Dance Outreach, later known as Infinite Dreams, an arts education program for disabled children to learn and perform dance. Bethune and her staff taught classes and workshops throughout the Los Angeles area, and her students toured internationally and performed publicly at arts festivals and other venues, including the White House in 1989.

Zina Bethune was married to Sean Feeley for 42 years. She died in 2012 in an accident near Griffith Park in Los Angeles, when she stopped her car to help an injured animal. After her death, Infinite Dreams continued to hold classes and workshops under the name All-Abilities Dance until ceasing operations in 2015.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Sean Feeley and Ivy Bethune, 2015.
Processing information:

Processed by Kelly Kress, 2016.

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Arrangement:

The collection is organized into the following series:

  • Series 1. Administrative
  • Series 2. Development and Fundraising
  • Series 3. Production Files
  • Series 4. Clippings
  • Series 5. Photographs
  • Series 6. Audio-Visual

Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other 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.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bethune Theatredanse Records (Collection 2304). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website