Dance Notation Bureau
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The Dance Notation Bureau (DNB) is a non-profit organization founded to preserve choreographic works through notating dance scores in
Labanotation Labanotation (grammatically correct form "Labannotation" or "Laban notation" is uncommon) is a system for analyzing and recording human movement (Notation, notation system), invented by Austro-Hungarian choreographer and dancer Rudolf von Laban ...
and collaborating with dance companies to stage reconstructions of those works. Based in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, DNB was founded by Helen Priest Rogers, Eve Gentry, Janey Price, and
Ann Hutchinson Anne Hutchinson (; July 1591 – August 1643) was an English-born religious figure who was an important participant in the Antinomian Controversy which shook the infant Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638. Her strong religious formal d ...
in 1940. It has significant holdings of videotapes, photographs, programs, and production information. Its mission is to advance the art of dance through the use of a system of notation called Labanotation. This allows the dances to continue to be performed long after the lifetime of the artist. In August 2007 it recommenced active work on the notation of dance works following a hiatus since October 2005.Paul Ben-Itzak, The Buzz, 10-31: Nightmare on W. 30th Street: Dance Notation Bureau lays off staff, ''The Dance Insider'', 2005
/ref> The DNB is both privately and publicly funded, including the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
and the
New York State Council on the Arts The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) serves to foster and advance the arts, culture, and creativity throughout New York State, according to its website. The goal of the council is to allow all New Yorkers to benefit from the contribution ...
and has a $500,000 endowment. The use of notation can support the performance of dances when interpreted with DNB assisting about 150 performances each year, including 20 under license from the choreographer or their heirs. The DNB's Extension for Education and Research is at the
Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...
.


Online Resources

The DNB released an online catalog of its Notated Theatrical Dances Collection, including works by
George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...
, Paul Taylor,
Antony Tudor Antony Tudor (born William Cook; 4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. He founded the London Ballet, and later the Philadelphia Ballet Guild in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., in the mid-195 ...
,
Bill T. Jones William Tass Jones, known as Bill T. Jones (born February 15, 1952), is an American Choreography, choreographer, director, author and dancer. He is the co-founder of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. The company's home in Manhattan. J ...
,
Doris Humphrey Doris Batcheller Humphrey (October 17, 1895 – December 29, 1958) was an American dancer and choreographer of the early twentieth century. Along with her contemporaries Martha Graham and Katherine Dunham, Humphrey was one of the second gen ...
, William Forsythe,
José Limón José Arcadio Limón (January 12, 1908 – December 2, 1972) was a dancer and choreographer from Mexico and who developed what is now known as 'Limón technique'. In the 1940s, he founded the José Limón Dance Company (now the Limón Dan ...
and Laura Dean. In addition, the DNB is digitizing it
Moving Images Collection
as the supplement to the Notated Theatrical Dances Catalog. These clips are available at
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
site.


References


Further reading

* Lu, Mei-Chen. "Resources and Riches: The Dance Notation Bureau." Dance Chronicle - Studies in Dance and the Related Arts 32.2 (2009): 291-301. * Lu, Mei-Chen. "The Dance Notation Bureau Costume Design Collection" Performing Arts Resources 27 (2010): 111-116.


External links


Dance Notation BureauDance Notation Bureau Theory Bulletin BoardDance Notation Bureau Notated Theatrical Dances CatalogGuide to the Dance Notation Bureau Collection, 1901-2016
The Dance Notation Bureau's Extension for Education and Research is located at The Ohio State University Thompson Library Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute Stacks. {{Authority control Dance organizations in the United States Dance notation organizations Libraries in New York City 1940 establishments in New York City Libraries established in 1940 Dance in New York City