Dance Victoria Studios are rockin’ to a different beat these days. In addition to the latin-inspired music emanating from the jam-packed Zumba class upstairs in the Shaw Studio, down here in the lobby, hammers and buzz saws are setting the tempo. A couple of men with big rough hands and pencils wedged behind their ears have taken up residence here, lurking behind plastic sheeting (to keep the plaster dust from settling through the lobby): their task – convert two shabby closets that used to house lost and found and other detritus into a sparkling new room to house Dance Victoria’s growing archive replete with an area for rotating displays.
Didn’t know Dance Victoria has an archive? For the past year, our active committee has been cataloguing the collection of the late Wynne Shaw, a formidable mid-century dance force in Victoria. Shaw’s papers include photos, historic house programs, letters, and newspaper clippings that trace a fascinating story of dance days gone by. Soon these archives will have a new home behind glass with ample display options.
We are very excited to move forward with the past. All of this made possible by an extraordinary gift from long-time Dance Victoria supporter, Betty Wilkinson. All will be revealed at Dance Victoria’s Annual General Meeting and festive celebration on December 8 at 7 pm. We’ll keep you posted.