Top of page
Posted by: Heather Darnell
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, the Library of Congress Music Division had the honor of welcoming attendees of the Dance Studies Association’s Annual Conference to a special collection display. Held this year in Washington, D.C., the conference explored the theme “Indeterminate States: Bodies, Fields, Practice.” Inspired by the city’s complex symbolic and practical relationship to …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
The Library of Congress Music Division is excited to announce the release of Black Dancers and Choreographers: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress, a comprehensive research guide showcasing the Library’s unique resources on the rich history and cultural impact of Black artists in American dance. Since the 19th century, Black dancers and …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
The Library of Congress Music Division is excited to announce the release of Martha Graham: A Guide to Resources at the Library of Congress, a comprehensive research guide showcasing the Library’s unique resources documenting the life and work of the influential American choreographer. Martha Graham (1894—1991) revolutionized dance in the twentieth century with an emotionally …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
On June 27, 2024, actor and comedian Jim Belushi visited the Library of Congress, where he received a special tour of the collections of the Music Division, Recorded Sound Division and American Folklife Center. Belushi took part in “Live! At the Library: The House of Blues Moves into the Library of Congress,” an event celebrating …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
Celebrating the reopening of the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Library of Congress's neighbor just a block away, Dr. Stacey Jocoy provides an overview of music scores related to Shakespeare's drama that are housed in the Library of Congress Music Division.
Posted in: Early Music
Posted by: Heather Darnell
It’s the summer of 2018, and I’ve once again found myself at the Marina in Corpus Christi, TX, sitting with my father on his sailboat. Guitars in hand, we are playing a special concert for the seagulls and pelicans, our only true fans. The vibrations of our strings loft into the air in perfect harmony …
Posted in: Instrumentalists, Jazz, Musical Instruments, Musicians, Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
During last Sunday’s Oscars, many were quick to note the parallels between Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” and Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the 1953 film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. ”The “Ken Dance” took many cues from pop culture and vintage Hollywood to play on gender stereotypes. However, there was …
Posted in: Dance, Film Music, Women in Dance
Posted by: Heather Darnell
Never lacking romance, the musicals of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II are often known for their love songs, such as the soaring “Some Enchanted Evening” from “South Pacific” and the cheeky “People May Say We’re in Love” from “Oklahoma!”. But not everybody wants to be reminded of fairytale romances and star-crossed soulmates—especially on Valentine’s …
Posted in: Uncategorized
Posted by: Heather Darnell
The following is a guest post by Music Division Reference Librarian Dr. Stacey Jocoy. If you know the tunes to ”Greensleeves,” ”Lillibullero,” or just about any traditional British tune, you should thank John Playford (1623-1687). Known today primarily for the Playford Dances—originally published as ”The English Dancing Master” in 1650/1, Playford was the most important …
Posted in: Uncategorized