Sandra Bagnall collection on Millicent Hamburger, 1928-2009 LSC.2175

Finding aid prepared by Lori Dedeyan, 2015; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
UCLA Library Special Collections
Finding aid last updated 25 July 2016.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu


Contributing Institution: UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Sandra Bagnall collection on Millicent Hamburger
Creator: Bagnall, Sandra
Creator: Mayes, Elaine
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2175
Physical Description: 14.2 Linear Feet (15 document boxes; 3 record cartons; 4 shoeboxes; 3 flat boxes; 3 oversize flat boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1928-2009
Abstract: Millicent Hamburger was a modern dance teacher who taught at Acalanes High School, in the Bay Area town of Lafayette, California, for three decades. This collection contains production files, correspondence, photographs, audiovisual recordings, and ephemera generated or collected from Hamburger's archive by one of her former students, Sandra Bagnall, during the creation of the documentary film, When I Dance. Also included are Hamburger's personal papers and books from her library on dance.
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.
Language of Material: Materials are primarily in English, some materials in German.

Restrictions on Access

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

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

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.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

CONTAINS DIGITAL AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: This collection contains processed digital and audiovisual materials. All requests to access digital materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of James Bagnall, 2013.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Sandra Bagnall Collection on Millicent Hamburger (Collection 2175). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Processing Information

Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
We are committed to providing ethical, inclusive, and anti-racist description of the materials we steward, and to remediating existing description of our materials that contains language that may be offensive or cause harm. We invite you to submit feedback about how our collections are described, and how they could be described more accurately, by filling out the form located on our website: Report Potentially Offensive Description in Library Special Collections. 

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 9979929393606533 

Biography/History

Millicent Hamburger (born 1903) was raised in New York, graduated from Smith College and received her M.A. in English from Columbia University. While at Columbia, she began studying with Ethel Mandell, a student of the Isadora Duncan School, and later accepted a teaching position in dance at the settlement houses in New York City. In 1941, Hamburger relocated to Lafayette, California (in the Bay Area), where she taught English and directed the modern dance group at Acalanes High School for three decades. The Acalanes Dance Group gave two performances a year, in the winter and spring, and was well- loved by generations of Acalanes dancers. Retiring and returning to New York in 1970, she nonetheless returned annually to Lafayette for dance reunions with her former students. Hamburger passed away in Orient, New York on 1 June 2004.
Sandra Humble Bagnall was a student of Millicent Hamburger and a member of the Acalanes Dance Group. Her documentary film about these experiences, When I Dance, was completed in 2002.

Scope and Content

This collection contains materials gathered by Sandra Bagnall during the production of her film When I Dance, about the modern dance program at Acalanes High School and its director, Millicent Hamburger. Materials include production files; correspondence; photographic prints, negatives, and slides; audio and moving image recordings of Acalanes performances, dancers, class reunions, and interviews; and ephemera such as concert posters and programs for Acalanes performances. Many of the photographs have been taken by Elaine Mayes. Also included are personal papers and books from the library of Millicent Hamburger.

Organization and Arrangement

Collection has been organized into the following series:
  • Series 1. When I Dance production files
    • Subseries 1.1. Process and treatments
    • Subseries 1.2. Recording logs
    • Subseries 1.3. Funding and legal documents
    • Subseries 1.4. Screenings and press
  • Series 2. Correspondence
  • Series 3. Class material
  • Series 4. Photographs
  • Series 5. Recordings

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Modern dance -- United States.
Dance teachers -- United States.
Hamburger, Millicent

 

Series 1. When I Dance production files 1986-2004

Scope and Content

This series contains the production files for When I Dance, which include notes, outlines, recording logs, inventories, contact information, legal documents, grant information, funding research and proposals, and screening material for the film.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
 

Subseries 1.1. Process and treatments 1986-2004

box 1, folder 1

Scenarios & concept outline circa 2001

box 1, folder 2

Structure circa 2002

box 1, folder 3

Treatment I 2000 July-August

box 1, folder 4

Treatment and performance changes 2000 October

box 1, folder 5

Rough cut changes- comments by Elaine undated

box 1, folder 6

Changes circa 2000

box 1, folder 7

Sandra's process diary circa 2000-2002

box 1, folder 8

Sandra notes circa 2000-2002

box 1, folder 9

Script & narration circa 1998-2002

box 1, folder 10

Script notes & research circa 2000

box 2, folder 1

Conversations with consultants undated

box 2, folder 2

Quotations research circa 1990-2000

box 2, folder 3

Travel journal 2002-2004

box 2, folder 4

Credits circa 2003

box 2, folder 5-6

Dancer contacts and performance information 2000-2004

box 2, folder 7

Sandra personal materials 1986-2003

 

Subseries 1.2. Recording logs 1998-2002

Scope and Content

This subseries contains logs and notes for the recorded material used in When I Dance. This material includes audio and video interviews, footage of dance reunions, and original footage of performances at Alcanes. Many of the referenced items are film and magnetic tape recordings that have been transferred to the Beta format. While the Beta recordings are not present in this collection, the original recordings, as well as later VHS transfers, are represented in Series 5.
Original folder titles have been maintained.
box 2, folder 8

22 boxes 2002

box 2, folder 9

Alden- 1990 class selects 2001

box 2, folder 10

Betty conversations with dancers/ Elaine 1990 class circa 1999-2001

box 2, folder 11

Betty's VHS logs & notes (Elaine transfers) 2002

box 2, folder 12

Conversation (1990)-A.R./ Millicent, Betty, Sandy 2002

box 2, folder 13

Conversations with Millicent & Sandra/ Elaine 1998 & 1999 2002

box 2, folder 14

RC- Millicent conversations 2002

box 2, folder 15

Tape interview with Millicent, 1993 undated

box 2, folder 16

Dance techniques and motions 2002

box 2, folder 17

DAT tape notes undated

box 2, folder 18

Dave Karp- 1998 selects circa 1998

box 2, folder 19

Elaine's conversations with dancers, Beta 12 & 14 circa 2002

box 3, folder 1

Elaine's mystery logs 2002

box 3, folder 2

Ending 2002

box 3, folder 3

Entry- classes- rough cut 2002

box 3, folder 4

Film, MC, video, CD- backup 2000-2002

box 3, folder 5

Log of Paintings- Beta 19 circa 2002

box 3, folder 6

Motion control notes circa 2002

box 3, folder 7

Performance logs for Alcanes footage circa 2002

box 3, folder 8

When I Dance- photo and word selects circa 2002

 

Subseries 1.3. Funding and legal documents 1998-2004

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

SUBSERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 3, folder 9

Transfer of rights to Millicent's archive 2002-2003

box 3, folder 10-11

Release forms from participants 1999-2000

box 3, folder 12

Grant information and proposal 1998-2000

box 3, folder 13

Film Arts Foundation 1999-2004

box 3, folder 14

Lafayette Arts & Science Foundation- Millicent Hamburger Fund 2003-2004

box 3, folder 15

Contributions/ notes of thanks circa 1999-2000

box 3, folder 16

Progress report to contributors 2000 March 16

box 3, folder 17

When I Dance order forms undated

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Includes 1 zip disk.
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 4, folder 1

When I Dance release announcement circa 2003

 

Subseries 1.4. Screenings and press 2003-2004

box 4, folder 2

Biographies for press kit 2003

box 4, folder 3

Screenings and festival information 2003-2004

box 4, folder 4

Clippings 2003

 

Series 2. Correspondence 1989-2009

Scope and Content

This series contains correspondence between Sandra Bagnall, Elaine Mayes, and members of the Acalanes High School dance group, regarding the production of When I Dance. Also included is correspondence between Sandra Bagnall and Millicent Hamburger, and between Millicent Hamburger and the members of her dance group (including Sandra Bagnall).
box 4, folder 5

Sandra and Millicent 1980s-2003

box 4, folder 6

Sandra and Elaine Mayes 2002

box 4, folder 7

Sandra and dancers 1998-2009

box 6, folder 1

Sandra and Betsy Pembroke, written on the back of a shipping package 2003

box 4, folder 8

Millicent and dancers 1989-1994

 

Series 3. Class material 1928-2000 1940-1970

Scope and Content

This series contains original material from the Acalanes High School dance classes. This material was used for research purposes by Sandra Bagnall and includes student essays, poetry, and dance notations; concert programs and posters; Millicent Hamburger's writings; scrapbooks; and books on dance and Isadora Duncan, from Millicent Hamburger's library.
box 5, folder 1

Student poetry 1955-1961

box 5, folder 2

Class papers circa 1969

box 5, folder 3

Student notations for "Gypsy Smetana" production 1965

box 5, folder 4

Student notations for "Job" production 1958

box 5, folder 5

Notes, cards and letters for "Juggler of Notre Dame" 1955

box 5, folder 6

Millicent writing 1942-1999

box 5, folder 7

Concert programs 1940-1949

box 5, folder 8-9

Concert programs 1950-1959

box 5, folder 10

Concert programs 1960-1970

box 6, folder 2

Concert posters 1950s-1960s

box 6, folder 3, box 7, box 8

Scrapbooks 1943-1958

Scope and Content

Includes 3 full and 2 empty scrapbooks. Full scrapbooks contain photographs, notes, clippings, and ephemera for Acalanes dance productions from the years 1943-1958.
box 25

Scrapbooks - class reunions 1993-1999

box 26, folder 1-3

Yearbooks - Acalanes Union High School 1950-1952

box 27

Scrapbook - Ethel Mandell studio and students 1932-1958

Scope and Content

Primarily photos but also includes some programs and Mandell's writings about teaching the Isadora Duncan method of dance.
box 28

Books from the library of Millicent Hamburger 1928-2000

Scope and Content

Books are mainly autobiographies and biographies of Isadora Duncan. Also included are materials on dance instruction and an exhibition catalog for an Erika Giovanna Klien retrospective from 1989.
 

Series 4. Photographs 1920s-1994

Scope and Content

This series contains photographic negatives, contact sheets, and prints of Alcanes dance productions and student dancers, partly taken by Elaine Mayes. Also included are early photographs of Millicent Hamburger. Many of these images are numbered and were reprinted or resized by Sandra Bagnall for her work on her documentary, and some appeared in a 1969 photo-essay on Millicent Hamburger, also titled When I Dance. Many of the photographic prints were in Millicent Hamburger's files as of April 1999; they and their rights were legally transferred to Sandra Bagnall in 2003.
Original folder titles have been maintained.
box 9, box 10

Negatives

Scope and Content

Two boxes containing the source negatives for many of the print images in this series.
box 11, folder 1

Christmas Flower (I) 1952

box 11, folder 2

Christmas Flower (II) 1956

box 11, folder 3

Down in the Valley 1955

box 11, folder 4

Dry Bones undated

box 11, folder 5

The First Christmas Tree (I) 1954

box 11, folder 6

The First Christmas Tree 1960 December

box 11, folder 7

The First Christmas Tree/ Little Match Girl 1962-1963

box 11, folder 8

Joan of Arc 1951

box 11, folder 9

Juggler of Notre Dame 1955

box 11, folder 10

Little Match Girl (III) 1963

box 11, folder 11

Orpheus 1952

box 12, folder 1

Pied Piper 1953

box 12, folder 2

Pied Piper (Becki Chamberlain and Mary Hoole) 1964

box 12, folder 3

Salem Incident 1956

box 12, folder 4

Salem Incident (II) 1967

box 12, folder 5

Scrooge I (Babs Springston) 1951 December 18

box 12, folder 6

Scrooge II (Carolyn Scalinetti) 1958

box 12, folder 7

Slavonic Dances undated

box 12, folder 8

Sleeping Beauty/ Carnevale 1953

box 12, folder 9

Spirituals- Early California 1954

box 12, folder 10

Who Am I? (Kate Young) 1957

box 13, folder 1

Barbara Lusebrink undated

box 13, folder 2

Chrissie undated

box 13, folder 3

Clarice undated

box 13, folder 4

Diane Robertson undated

box 13, folder 5

Fausta Segrè undated

box 13, folder 6

Jeannie Golbraith/ Sally Freedman undated

box 13, folder 7

Karen Daniels undated

box 13, folder 8

Nancy Miller undated

box 13, folder 9

Class of 1970 1970

box 13, folder 10

Ethel's Angels and settlement houses circa 1930

box 13, folder 11-12

Millicent's old photographs 1930-1950

box 13, folder 13

Calendar of dancers 1994

box 13, folder 14

Stuyvesant House (removed from scrapbook) 1929 and undated

box 14, folder 1-3

Contact sheets and negatives (Elaine Mayes) 1960s

box 14, folder 4

Publicity glossies undated

box 14, folder 5-6

Sizing and proof sheets undated

box 15, folder 1

When I Dance book slides 1982-1983

box 15, folder 2-5

Numbered photographs 1920s-1970

Scope and Content

These photographs have been numbered and labeled by Sandra Bagnall for use in her film. They include duplicates of photographs in previous folders, as well as original photographs ranging from the time of Millicent's instruction under Ethel Mandell, in the 1920s, to her own dance classes in 1970.
box 15, folder 6

Unsorted negatives 1940s-1970

box 15, folder 7

Unsorted contact sheets 1940s-1970

box 16, folder 1-8

Unsorted photographs 1940s-1970

Scope and Content

These photographs originate in folders titled "miscellaneous", "unsorted", and "extras". They include much of the content in previous folders, though there is also some original material.
box 17, box 18

Mounted and oversize photographs 1940s-1970

 

Series 5. Recordings 1940-2003

Scope and Content

This series contains recordings of Acalanes student dance productions, footage of the annual reunions attended by former Acalanes dancers, and material generated by Sandra Bagnall during the production of When I Dance, which includes interviews, video transfers, and finished masters of the film. Also included are audio recordings of a conversation with Millicent Bagnall and of the music used in the Acalanes dance performances.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

SERIES CONTAINS DIGITAL AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.
box 19, box 20, box 22

Acalanes dance performances and student dancers 1940-1986

Scope and Content

These film recordings originate in Millicent Hamburger's archive, and include footage of student dancers and of the following productions: Down in the Valley (1955), Joan of Arc (1951), Job (1958), Masquerade Suite (1949), The Salem Incident (1956), Symphonic Variations by Caesar Frank (1949), and Who Am I? (1957). Also included is footage of Millicent Hamburger in the Acalanes cafeteria in 1986.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

13 [8mm] and 38 [16mm] film reels
RESTRICTED ACCESS: Use of moving image material requires production of viewing copies.
box 21

Dance reunions 1988-2001

Scope and Content

Footage of the annual dance reunions attended by former Acalanes dance group members.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

34 VHS-C and 4 Hi8 cassettes
RESTRICTED ACCESS: Use of moving image material requires production of viewing copies.
box 19, box 22, box 23

When I Dance video transfers, interviews, finished masters and DVD [circa 1990]-2003

Scope and Content

These boxes contain the VHS transfers for recordings of original dance footage from Acalanes and dance reunions (above), and interviews and conversations recorded by Sandra Bagnall in 1999. Many of the VHS cassettes correspond to previous transfers in Beta format, and are labeled as such. For more information on their contents, please refer to the logs in Subseries 1.2. Also included are the finished masters for When I Dance, and a DVD copy.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

67 VHS cassettes
RESTRICTED ACCESS: Use of moving image material requires production of viewing copies.
box 24

Conversation with Millicent Hamburger 1999

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

3 Digital Audio Tapes (DAT)
RESTRICTED ACCESS: Use of audio material requires production of listening copies.
box 24

Music from performances undated

Scope and Content

Includes: Ave Maria (Schubert), "Bartok", Blue Danube, Christmas Concerto (Corelli), Christmas Flower, Contra Dances (Beethoven), Down in the Valley, Gold and Silver, Hansel and Gretel, Joan of Arc, Liebesleider (Brahms), Little Match Girl, Negro Spirituals, Old Friends, Polonaise (Chopin), Salem Incident, Scrooge, Symphony, Voices, Waltz (Strauss), and Who Am I?

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

10 compact audio cassettes
RESTRICTED ACCESS: Use of audio material requires production of listening copies.
box 24

CD 16- Henrietta's Wedding/ Songs of African Veldt undated

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

1 CD
Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. To access materials you must notify the reference desk in advance of your visit.