Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection







©1997
San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum



Descriptive Summary

Repository SF PALM
CreatorKahrs, Katherine
TitleKatherine Kahrs Photography Collection,
Dates: 1981-1986
Extent 4 boxes, 1 carton; 3 linear feet
Quantity: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection number 990.76

BIOGRAPHY

Katherine Kahrs graduated from U.C. Berkeley with an M.A. in studio art in 1951. After graduation, she exhibited paintings in group shows in the various local museums and other venues. She then lived in Italy and Holland and traveled through Europe for four years, seeing the dancing of Sadler Wells, Bejart Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Netherlands Dance Theatre, and other companies.

After returning to the Bay Area, she taught drawing, composition, and painting from 1962 to 1978. She taught art for adult education programs, the Pacific Art League, and U.C. Santa Cruz. She was an exhibiting painter as well as a teacher and won an occasional award when exhibiting.

She studied photography at Foothill College and when Richard Gibson opened the Pacific Dance Center in Palo Alto in about 1980, she began studying dance and also began photographing dancers in and out of the studio. In 1982, she began working for Tance Johnson, the director of Dance Action, and continued this affiliation until 1992. She was also a free lance photographer in San Francisco from 1982 until 1992, photographing various small dance companies such as Lines, Golden Gate Ballet, Conzertanz, Cheryl Chaddick, Baroque Music and Dance, Mazynski Dance Company, and others. Her dance photographs were exhibited at Footwork Studios, Keeble and Suchat Gallery in Palo Alto, and Dancer's Stage for Yahuda Moar. She was included in Best Photography of 1987.

From 1982 until 1992, she was the featured dance photographer for Margaret Wingrove Dance Company of San Jose. She also photographed New Dance Company in San Jose for Cliff Keuter. She was published in the San Jose Mercury, the San Francisco Chronicle, Metro, and various other publications.

In 1992, she retired from exclusively doing dance photography and now does various free lance photographic assignments, as well as exhibition photography.


SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection consists of negatives, proof sheets, prints, and programs which document the activities and performances of various dancers and dance companies in the Bay Area. Katherine Kahrs served as an official photographer for the Pacific Dance Center and the Palo Alto Dance Center during the 1980s and thus compiled an important visual record of their contributions to dance education. She also photographed performances by such groups as the Sugano School of Ballet, the New Dance Co., Dancers' Repertory Theatre, the Golden Gate Ballet, Footwork, the San Francisco Jazz Dance Co., and the San Francisco Moving Co.

Many individuals affiliated with these dance groups are also featured in the collection. These include Richard Gibson, Yehuda Maor, Tina Bernal, Janet Vertis, and Fran Spector. Students such as Molly Story, Ken Delmar, Sandy Perez, Toby Cohen, and April Breunerman are represented through posed portraits and casual shots taken at rehearsals.

The majority of the collection is composed of negatives and proof sheets which were originally filed in binders. These have been removed for preservation purposes, but their original groupings by ballet company have been retained. Files of 8 x 10 prints have also been preserved in their original arrangement by dance company and ballet or by individual.

Other examples of Katherine Kahrs' work can be found in the Dance Action Collection, which documents the career of Tance Johnson and the dance company she founded.


Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Entire collection is open for research use.

Publication Rights

Katherine Kahrs has retained copyright on all of the materials. Ms. Kahrs requests notification of reproduction of an image and the citation should read "Image courtesy of the Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum." Ms. Kahrs does not expect payment for the use of an image, nor does permission need to be granted.


Related Material


Ballet -- Study and teaching;
Baroque dance photography;
Dance photography;
Dance schools;
Dance teachers
Modern dance -- Study and teaching;

Administrative Information

Provenance

This collection was donated to the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum by Katherine Kahrs on August 22, 1990.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection, Collection number: 990.76, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum


Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Entire collection is open for research use.

Publication Rights

Katherine Kahrs has retained copyright on all of the materials. Ms. Kahrs requests notification of reproduction of an image and the citation should read "Image courtesy of the Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum." Ms. Kahrs does not expect payment for the use of an image, nor does permission need to be granted.

Provenance

This collection was donated to the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum by Katherine Kahrs on August 22, 1990.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Katherine Kahrs Photography Collection, Collection number: 990.76, San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum

CONTAINER LIST

SERIES I. INDIVIDUALS 49 folders
Consists of negatives, proof sheets and prints of individual dancers and choreographers. Unless otherwise indicated, materials available consist of negatives and proof sheets.
Arranged alphabetically by name of individual and thereunder by date.
BoxFolder
51 Albert, C. - prints n.d.
52 Alex, Hannah - prints Oct 1986
BoxFolder
11 Amarillo, Tina n.d.
12 Bernaseoni, Laurie 1/21/85
13 Bernal, Tina 7/17/81
14 Bernal, Tina 10/30/81
15 Bernal, Tina May 1984
16 Bernal, Tina 3/27/86
BoxFolder
53 Bernal, Tina - prints n.d.
54 Bowman, Cecelia Marie - prints 1983
BoxFolder
17 Breunerman, April 2/29/82
BoxFolder
55 Breunerman, April - prints 4/21/82
BoxFolder
18 Caniparoli, Val 1981
19 Cohen, Toby 12/81
BoxFolder
56 Cohen, Toby - prints 1980
BoxFolder
110 Delmar, Ken n.d.
BoxFolder
57 Delmar, Ken & Alex - prints n.d.
BoxFolder
111 Friedman, Leslie 2/17/83
112 Gibson, Richard Mar 1985
BoxFolder
58 Gibson, Richard - prints 1978-81
BoxFolder
113 Hilton, Wendy 6/19/85
BoxFolder
59 Hilton, Wendy - prints 6/19/85
BoxFolder
114 Ibarra, Cathy 7/2/85
115 Jenaea, Duncan 4/8/82
116 Johnson, Doug 5/28/82
117 Johnson, Doug & Molly Story n.d.
118 Keuter, Cliff n.d.
BoxFolder
510 King, Alonso - prints n.d.
BoxFolder
119 Larkham, Elizabeth 4/11/81
BoxFolder
511 Lyn, Janaea Rose 4/82
512 McCarthy, Cathleen Feb 1985
BoxFolder
120 Murphy, Megan Oct 1981
BoxFolder
513 Murphy, Megan - prints Oct 1981
BoxFolder
121 Palenga, Christine n.d.
122 Perez, Sandy 3/13/82
BoxFolder
514 Perez, Sandy - prints n.d.
515 Santos, Tina 1982
BoxFolder
123 Schommer, Leslie Feb 1981
124 Selberman, Caroly Nov 1984
125 Spector, Fran 8/6/83
BoxFolder
516 Spector, Fran - prints n.d.
BoxFolder
126 Story, Molly 2/5/82
127 Story, Molly 4/22/82
BoxFolder
517 Story, Molly - prints 1981-82
BoxFolder
128 Vertis, Janet 3/20/82
129 Vertis, Janet 5/15/82
130 Vertis, Janet n.d.
BoxFolder
518 Vertis, Janet - prints 1985
BoxFolder
131 Watson, Gwendolyn 1984
BoxFolder
519 Watson, Gwendolyn - prints 1983-84
BoxFolder
132 Wolner, Kirsten 1/21/85
133 Wynn, Bobbie 4/30/81
134 Zaraspe, Hector 8/29/85
135Unknown female dancer n.d.
SERIES II. DANCE COMPANIES 43 folders
Includes negatives, proof sheets, and prints of various dance companies active in the Bay Area.
Arranged alphabetically by name of company and thereunder by date.
BoxFolder
520Baroque dancers n.d.
BoxFolder
21-2Eastern dancers n.d.
BoxFolder
521Eastern dancers - prints n.d.
BoxFolder
23 Eiko & Komo n.d.
24 Eskimo dancers Aug 1982
BoxFolder
522Eskimo dancers - prints 1983
BoxFolder
25 Footwork 10/6/86
26 Dancers' Repertory Theatre : 'Twas the Night before Xmas Dec 1982
27 Dancers' Repertory Theatre: Alice at the Palace May 1983
BoxFolder
523 Alice at the Palace - prints May 1983
BoxFolder
28 Dancers' Stage Feb 13-14, 1983
BoxFolder
524 Golden Gate Ballet - prints n.d.
BoxFolder
29 New Dance Co. Sept 28, 1983
210 New Dance Co. Oct 1983
211 New Dance Co. 11/10/83
211 New Dance Co. 11/10/83
212 New Dance Co. 1/29/84
213 New Dance Co. 11/30/84
214 New Dance Co. 2/28/85
215 New Dance Co. Oct 2-4,1986
BoxFolder
525-26 New Dance Co. - prints 1986
BoxFolder
116 San Francisco Jazz Dance Co. 11/14/81
117 San Francisco Moving Co. 10/30/82
118 Sugano School of Ballet 6/6/82
BoxFolder
536 Sugano School of Ballet - prints 1982
SERIES III. PALO ALTO DANCE CENTER 13 folders
Contains negatives, proof sheets, and prints of dress rehearsals and performances given by the Palo Alto Dance Center.
Unless otherwise indicated, materials available consist of negatives and proof sheets.
Arranged chronologically.
BoxFolder
31Benefit 4/8/83
32Performance 6/5/83
33Performance 6/23/83
34Performance 6/26/83
35Dress Rehearsal 7/15/84
36Performance 11/2/85
37Performance 12/5/85
BoxFolder
534Performance - prints Dec 1985
BoxFolder
38Performance 6/8/86
39Performance 7/18/86
310Performance 10/17/86
311Performance 10/24/86
BoxFolder
535Performance - prints n.d.
SERIES IV. PACIFIC DANCE CENTER 41 folders
Consists of negatives, proof sheets, and prints documenting the teaching and peformance activities of the Pacific Dance Center.
Unless otherwise indicated, materials available consist of negatives and proof sheets.
Divided into three sub-series: 1)Classes; 2)Rehearsals; and 3)Performances. The classes sub-series is arranged chronologically and the rehearsals and performances sub-series are arranged by ballet and thereunder by date.
Sub-series I. Classes
BoxFolder
527-28Classes - prints Summer 1980
BoxFolder
41-2Classes 1981
43 Richard Gibson's class 1981
44Classes 2/81
45 Yehuda Maor's class 4/81
46 Richard Gibson's class 4/5/81
47 Cliff Keuter's class 4/10/81
48Auditions Oct 1981
49-10 Yehuda Maor's Ballet V class 11/2/81
411 Yehuda Maor's Ballet II-III class 11/4/81
412 Yehuda Maor's Modern Dance class 11/4/81
BoxFolder
532 Yehuda Maor's Ballet IV-prints 1981
BoxFolder
413 Gibson & Maor's class Nov.1981
414 Tina Santos' pointe class 12/81
415 Richard Gibson's class 4/3/82
416 Tina Santos' class 4/3/82
417 Rebecca Wright's class 4/22/82
418 Christine Elliott's class 8/82
419 Yehuda Maor's studio 9/24/82
Sub-series II. Rehearsals
BoxFolder
530Spring recital - prints 1981
BoxFolder
420 Ballade 2/12/82
421 Hills of Spring 2/12/82
422 Nightingales 2/12/82
423 Variations on Handel 2/12/82
424 Vienna Ball 1/30/82
425-27Unknown ballets 2/7/82
Sub-series III. Performances
BoxFolder
531Spring Recital-prints 4/81
BoxFolder
428Reception 4/30/81
429Summer Recital 8/22/81
430 Ballade 12/81
431 Ballade 2/14/82
BoxFolder
533 Four Works - prints 2/14/82
BoxFolder
432 Hills of Spring 2/14/82
433 Nightingales 12/81
434 Variations on a Rococco Theme 12/81
435 Vienna Ball 1/30/82
436-37Unknown ballet 1982?
438Unknown trio 6/82
SERIES V. PROGRAMS 1 folder
Contains programs for various performances documented in the collection's photographic files.
Arranged chronologically.