The Special Collections department of the USC Libraries maintains several important archival collection of dance-related materials.* To use these resources, you can visit the Special Collections department on the second floor of Doheny Library or email specol@usc.edu. Note that it is best to contact the department first so that materials that you want are available when you visit.
- Don Bondi Collection -- programs from performances of ballet, modern dance, and musicals; pamphlets and journal offprints discussing dance and dancers.
- Fred Astaire Manuscript Collection -- collection consists of the manuscript and galley proofs of Fred Astaire's book Steps in Time, published in 1960. Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was a world renowned dancer, choreographer and film star.
- Grell/Colefax Russian Ballet Archive -- consists of films, books, photographs, sound recordings, posters, costumes, and artwork related to Russian ballet, chiefly the Bolshoi Ballet Company. Collected by Los Angeles resident Dwight Grell from the early 1950s through the 2000s. Many of the materials are in Russian. This collection represents a broad range of subjects: Russian and Soviet Dance; choreography and costume design; and Russian and Soviet culture, including popular culture, as reflected in programs, print materials, and photographs.
- Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival -- dance and souvenir programs for Ted Shawn and his Men Dancers, 1934-1938, and for the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, 1954-1955 and 1957-1958; publicity materials and dance programs, circa 1940-1949, for dancers Barton Mumaw and Foster Fitz-Simons; stylized drawings, circa 1936, of Ted Shawn, Barton Mumaw, Frank Overlees, Dennis Landers, Foster Fitz-Simons, Fred Hearn, and Wilbur McCormack; and photographs of Ted Shawn (1954) and Barton Mumaw (circa 1941).
- Lewitzky Dance Company -- based in Los Angeles, California, the Lewitzky Dance Company was formed in 1966 by Bella Lewitzky and gave its last performance on May 18, 1997. The archive consists of papers, films, photographs, costumes, programs, posters, stage plots, and sound recordings. It covers the Company's archived and working papers from all offices, including the Manager, Booking and Production offices.
- Rudy Perez Archive -- archive of the papers, clippings, programs, books, videos, costumes and photographs from the work of modern dance choreographer Rudy Perez, currently based in Los Angeles.
* Content descriptions are from Finding Aids written by the USC Libraries, Special Collections department.