The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection: Developing a Roadmap for AV Reformatting and Expert Sourced Metadata

FAIN: PW-285184-22

Ohio University (Athens, OH 45701-1361)
Miriam Nelson (Project Director: July 2021 to March 2025)

A digital preservation assessment, rehousing, and new finding aid for over 2,000 audio and audio-visual materials dating from 1936 through 2001 in the Alwin Nikolais and Murry Louis Dance Collection at the Ohio University Libraries’ Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. The project team also would develop workflows and build relationships for incorporating metadata from expert sources.

The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection is held by the Ohio University Libraries’ Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. The collection is an invaluable record of American Modern Dance pedagogy providing a rich resource for students and teachers of dance, in higher education and beyond. This project aims to increase access to the collection and its extensive audiovisual formats in two ways. First an AV assessment will provide a roadmap for the Libraries to pursue digital reformatting and preservation. The collection contains valuable moving image and audio content that has not been broadly accessible and may now be at risk from degradation. Second the project seeks to create additional access points to a growing digital collection of non-AV material by working with the Nikolais/Louis Foundation to collect expert-sourced metadata. This approach opens opportunities for the libraries to deepen description even where subject expertise is lacking.

Associated Products

Grant Announcement University News (Blog Post)
Title: Grant Announcement University News
Author: Morgan Spehar
Abstract: Ohio University Libraries’ announces National Endowment for the Humanities Grant award for the The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection.
Date: 4/18/22
Primary URL: https://www.ohio.edu/news/2022/04/ohio-university-libraries-mahn-center-receives-national-endowment-humanities-grant
Primary URL Description: Latest News from Ohio University
Blog Title: Ohio University Libraries’ Mahn Center receives National Endowment for the Humanities Grant
Website: Ohio University

Grant Announcement Library News (Blog Post)
Title: Grant Announcement Library News
Author: Morgan Spehar
Abstract: Ohio University Libraries Announces Libraries receives NEH grant for the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection.
Date: 4/20/22
Primary URL: https://www.ohio.edu/library/about/news-events/all-news/ohio-university-libraries-mahn-center-receives-national-endowment-humanities-grant
Primary URL Description: Latest news from Ohio University Libraries
Blog Title: Ohio University Libraries’ Mahn Center Receives National Endowment for the Humanities Grant
Website: Ohio University Libraries News

Ohio University Libraries Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Digital Collection in CONTENTdm (Database/Archive/Digital Edition)
Title: Ohio University Libraries Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Digital Collection in CONTENTdm
Author: Ohio University Libraries
Abstract: The digital collection includes digitized promotional and visual material from the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection such as photographs and sketches, which document choreographic development and costume design, and posters that reflect the breadth of Nikolais’s and Louis’s dance companies, performances, and global reach. The collection was created in 2019 and the description was enhanced with support from this grant.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: https://media.library.ohio.edu/digital/collection/p15808coll16/search
Primary URL Description: Ohio University Libraries Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Digital Collection
Access Model: Access to the collection is open. The CONTENTdm instance is a paid subscription.

Figures of Modern Dance: Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis (Exhibition)
Title: Figures of Modern Dance: Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis
Curator: Maddie James, BS and BA '24, History and Visual Communications - Publication Design, Ohio University
Abstract: This exhibit explores the cultural significance of modern dance innovators Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis. Learn about their creative process, their connection to Ohio University, and their broad influence as artists, performers, and choreographers.
Year: 2023
Primary URL: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0f61db1b02b74cb484d2a778ee1a3a40
Primary URL Description: A digital exhibit utilizing arcGIS StoryMaps

The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection Finding Aid (Web Resource)
Title: The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection Finding Aid
Author: Greta Suiter
Abstract: The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection documents the careers of two leaders in American Modern Dance. The collection includes films, videos, photographs, manuscripts, posters, administrative documents, awards, programs, reviews, and musical recordings. The artists’ dance companies include the Playhouse Dance Company, the Alwin Nikolais Dance Company, the Nikolais Dance Theatre, the Murray Louis Dance Company, and the Murray Louis and Alwin Nikolais Dance Company.
Year: 2024
Primary URL: https://archivesspace.ohio.edu/repositories/2/resources/820
Primary URL Description: Finding aid in Ohio University ArchivesSpace instance

Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection Expert-Sourced Metadata Project in FromThePage (Web Resource)
Title: Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection Expert-Sourced Metadata Project in FromThePage
Author: Erin Wilson, Ohio University Digital Imaging Specialist
Abstract: The Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection documents the careers of two leaders in American Modern Dance. This collection presents promotional and performance photos documenting more than 200 choreographed works, and featuring dancers from companies that were active from the 1950s through the 1990s. The current level of description for these images is minimal. Many are lacking personal names, dates, details about the work, relevant descriptions of the movement, and valuable context specific to dance and performance which requires specialized knowledge to interpret. Help us communicate the importance of these documents by describing and/or interpreting meaning for the users of this digital collection.
Year: 2022
Primary URL: https://fromthepage.com/ohiouniversitylibraries/nikolais-louis-dance
Primary URL Description: A project in FromThePage hosted software for crowdsourced transcription.

Expert-Sourced Metadata Training Video (Web Resource)
Title: Expert-Sourced Metadata Training Video
Author: Erin Wilson, Ohio University Digital Imaging Specialist
Abstract: This video will introduce volunteers to a crowdsourced project that aims to enhance descriptions of digitized content from the Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis Dance Collection held by Ohio University Libraries. In collaboration with the Nikolais / Louis Foundation for Dance, the project seeks participation from dance professionals, researchers and experts to add context to a growing online collection of performance photos, video and promotional material documenting the choreographers' careers and creative influence.
Year: 2022
Primary URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2TAT9Od4lo
Primary URL Description: Training video for expert-sourced metadata project

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