Accessing dance materials: An evaluation of library archival methods and dance preservation methods with applications for ritual dance

This thesis explores dance preservation and documentation methods from two differing dance collections: the Bronislava Nijinska Collection housed at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange Collection housed at the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. By describing the archival methods used in these collections, primarily paper and film materials, this thesis suggests that such methods of preservation and documentation, as implemented by the Dance Heritage Coalition, would benefit ritual dance materials as well. The Lakota Sioux Ghost Dance of 1890 is used as a case study concerning ritual dance materials. Evaluation of the materials available concerning the Lakota Sioux Ghost Dance of 1890 and the preservation and documentation of these materials suggest that cataloging methods for such materials might create access problems for dance scholars.