Starr School Fancy Dancers Photographs, 1955

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Taft, Laura Jane
Title
Starr School Fancy Dancers Photographs
Dates
1955
Quantity
57 transparencies and 1 audiotape reel
Collection Number
Collection 0595, MtBC, us (collection)
Summary
The Starr School Fancy Dancers Photographs consist of fifty-seven 35mm transparencies with an accompanying audiotape reel. The images are of the Siksika Starr School Fancy Dancers, chosen to illustrate costumes and dancing techniques as they coordinate with the narration by Taft.
Repository
Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Laura Jane Osborne was born on March 20, 1911 in Toston, Montana. She married Alfred W. Taft in 1933. Laura served as the superintendent of public schools in Glacier County, Montana and the couple lived in Cut Bank. Laura and her husband were particularly interested in Siksika culture and attended many of the performances of tribal “fancy dancers,” including the Starr School group which was active during the 1950s. Laura Jane died on March 4, 1993 and her husband Alfred died in 1994.

Fancy dance or Pan-Indian dancing is a style of dance some believe was originally created by members of the Ponca tribe in the 1920s and 1930s in an attempt to preserve their culture and religion. Fancy dance was considered appropriate to be performed for visitors in exhibitions, but today, fancy dancers can be seen at many powwows across the nation and even the world. They are performed by many different tribal groups including the Siksika.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Starr School Fancy Dancers multimedia presentation consists of fifty-seven 35mm transparencies with an accompanying audiotape reel. The narration, performed by Alfred Taft, is timed to indicate when to advance to the next slide. The images are of the Siksika Starr School Fancy Dancers, chosen to illustrate costumes and dancing techniques as they coordinate with the narration by Taft.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

A set of 35mm transparencies with accompanying taped narration created by Laura and Alfred Taft was donated to Montana State University by Helen Dresen of Cut Bank, Montana in 1967.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2018 July 11

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top