Meet the Staff - Tara Davis

1. Who are you and what is your position?

Tara Davis – Graduate Assistant

2. Please give us a little bit of background about you.


I am an alumna of the University of Oklahoma (OU) Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program. I have a Bachelor of Arts in English. My previous (and current) experience with dance was that of being the audience.

3. When did you come to the Ballets Russes Archive?


I came to the Ballets Russes Archive in September 2011 and stayed until December 2012.

4. Why did you become a part of the Ballets Russes Archive?


Jeri Smalley spoke about the archive in my preservation class. I was looking for more hands-­on experience in the field and the archive seemed really amazing. I had always admired ballet from afar and was really interested in learning more about the famous Native American Ballerinas from that time period. It seemed like an all-around great opportunity.

5. What aspects of the Ballets Russes Archive have you worked on? 


I worked on everything from arrangement of the collections, to the beginning stages of digitization, description, finding aids, and fundraising presentations. I feel like I really came at a time when the archive was moving from “Here’s where we’re going” to actually doing it.

6. What are the biggest challenges you faced in working with the Archive?

Because of coming in during that transition period, there are a lot of things that seem simple at first, but actually represent a lot of steps in between. For instance, we wanted to start digitizing, but first we needed to pinpoint standards, which meant research, then we needed to get equipment, which required research, then we needed to draft policies and procedures, which took research, then these things needed to be tested and adjusted accordingly, which took more time. So for me personally, it was a challenge of learning patience and trying to think 4 steps ahead.

I also found it very challenging to convey the archive’s purpose, function, rules and needs to non-archivists. Because the archive is primarily funded and supported by an entity that isn’t otherwise associated with the information field, there were often differences in opinion as far as vision and practices went. It was definitely an exercise in politics, teaching, and appeasing others, all while striving to maintain professional integrity.

I also faced the challenge of leaving knowing that I could never finish everything and trying to pass on all that I had learned while there. As I am not naturally the teaching type, it was a challenge to try to convey my institutional knowledge to others in an effective and efficient way. It was  very hard to leave, since this truly was a project that was close to my heart.

7. What are the biggest successes you have achieved with the Archive?

It was a goal of ours to have all of the collections arranged by October of 2012. While some outside of the archive voiced doubt, I made it my goal in the spring of 2012 to have everything arranged by that October. With Jessie Hopper’s help, we accomplished that. It was truly rewarding to not only meet that goal, but also get the chance to work so intimately with those materials.

I also created item level descriptions of a large amount of our collections. It was fascinating to examine the materials that closely and describe them in ways that would make them accessible. You really had to think about things in this frame of “How do I make this as objective as possible, but still convey meaning, context, and encourage discoverability?” Seriously – I thought stuff like that, because I’m totally nerdy about this field. I feel like in the end, I came out with a good product and hope that I served these amazing materials well.

We began working on Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aids. I was graciously provided with an opportunity from the School of Dance (SoD) to go to training for this. When I came back, I not only began creating EAD finding aids, but I also taught someone else how to do them. As I've mentioned, I’m not much of a teacher, so that was very gratifying, especially as she went on to understand and do more than I had shown her in the first place. It was a rewarding endeavor.

8. What are your favorite projects you worked on with the Archive? 


I truly enjoyed processing Bernice Rehner’s collection. I think it is one of the most dynamic collections I have ever worked with. It was a challenge to arrange it – physically and intellectually. It gave me practice working with nearly every medium contained in the archive. And it was one of the first collections (of many now) that I really got to see firsthand how much you can learn about a person by the things they create and the things they keep.

I enjoyed working with Charlotte and Jeri to find out more about copyright and photographs. I learned so much about photo copyright and also was able to see the way our profession connects with others (Lawyers, photographers, dancers, etc).

I even enjoyed ‘Desmoking’ some of the materials. One of the collections came to us so saturated with cigarette smoke that it was impossible to process it without feeling ill effects. It was a process of experimentation, hope, frustration, and eventually seeking new alternatives. I feel like it was a microcosm of the archival field itself.

Arranging Branitzka’s photos was also a ton of fun. I got the chance to work more closely with Jessie and experience how much easier some projects are with another person. We were able to bounce ideas off of each other and she was there to help me efficiently make a decision that if I were by myself, I would've spent hours pondering over. It was satisfying to combine our skills and talents to create such a great product. Plus, Branitzka has some really great photos.

9. What are your favorite items or collections in the Archive? 


Bernice Rehner’s collection -­‐ I feel like it is the quintessential Ballets Russes Archive collection. It is grand. It has panache. It has big names, small names, and those in between. It had so many mediums and boundless personality. You really got a feel for the day-­‐to-­‐day life of the dancers -­‐ even those in the corps. You got a sense of the time period, you were able to see Bernice’s effervescence though her things. It was just wonderful. 

George Verdak’s Fat Ballerinas. I LOVE those things. Of all of the people whose materials I read, Verdak was the one I wanted to hang out with the most. He was just so funny and obviously talented. I loved his friendship with Bernice. And those drawings. To this day I still want to be a Verdak ballerina for Halloween, but it would just be the most OBSCURE costume in the world. Get those things famous so I can do it!

Walda Welch’s Collection (primarily Tamara Karsavina’s materials) – Again, these materials really showed the personality of Karsavina. From the dictated letter from her husband saying she wouldn’t dream of torturing them with her handwriting, to the picture of her with her dog Bijou, I just really felt like I got to know a piece of her.

Also, Walda’s snapshots were amazing. Her snapshots were kind of the visual equivalent of what Bernice’s materials were. You really see a different side of the dancers and the performances. Also, I got this feeling that Walda felt really lonely in the company – she’s rarely in the pictures, always behind the camera. When she is in them, she’s usually pretty straight-­‐faced. Sometimes her pictures have this listless, mournful feeling. I don’t know how quite to describe it. When I later saw that she was only in the company for two years, I felt like I knew part of the reason she left. I’m digressing here – but I guess it’s just another example of how personality filters through papers and pictures.

10. What are your hopes for the future of the Archive?

I hope the archive is able to get the recognition it deserves from researchers, dancers, students, and the archival profession. I hope it becomes a landmark archive for this subject and that anyone who researches this era of ballet knows of its existence.

I hope that it begins to contribute to larger exhibitions in efforts to make its amazing set of materials noticed and become part of the larger dance–research community.

I hope they continue to help other MLIS students on their way to the profession get such great experience. I truly feel like it was a blessing to get to work with these materials and hope others get that opportunity as well.

I hope that it always stays in such caring and capable hands like it does today.