| Description | Elisabeth Maria Marthe Ullmann (1907-1985), known as Lisa, was born in Berlin into an artistic family. She planned to study painting at the Berlin Academy of Arts, but participation in a movement choir led her to study dance with Lotte Wederkind and then at the Choreographishes Institut. She gained Laban Certificate in the 1920s followed by the Laban Diploma.
In 1930 she joined the staff of Folkwangschule, Kurt Jooss's school in Essen, and also taught for his company. She came to Dartington Hall with the Ballets Jooss when they fled the Nazis in 1934.
In 1938, she met Rudolf Laban in Paris and with Jooss's help brought him to Dartington. This began her 20-year partnership with Laban, during which she disseminated his teachings and helped with the work in industry. In 1942, Ullmann and Laban moved to Manchester where Ullmann founded the Art of Movement Studio in 1946. Many of her students went into teaching, and thus Laban-based 'modern educational dance' became the cornerstone of much dance done in PE courses in England over the following decades. Teachers came together in summer schools and Easter courses, usually led by Ullmann with Laban's participation. The studio moved to Addlestone, Surrey, in 1953, where it became one branch of the Laban Art of Movement Centre. Ullmann remained principal of the school until 1973. She continued to teach in the UK and abroad. Dedicated to disseminating Laban's work, she edited his books, lectured about his work, and safeguarded his archive.
Ullmann was instrumental in the establishment of the Laban Guild and the International Council of Kinetography Laban (ICKL) and chaired both.
The archive primarily covers Ullmann's years in England. The papers include records of the Laban Art of Movement Guild, including AGM papers, minutes of meetings, the constitution and course information; courses, correspondence and recitals from the Manchester Dance Circle; records of the Laban Institute of Movement Studies; records of the Art of Movement Studio including course information, administrative records, minutes, correspondence with the Trustees, and information about staff, students and alumni; records of Modern Dance Holiday Courses; records about teaching and lectures; correspondence with individuals and correspondence about Laban's work; press articles; family history and personal papers; and biographical records.
In addition, there are a number of peridocials.
There are an additional 26 boxes of uncatalogued material including the original card catalogue, photographs, newscuttings, papers, audio-visual material and periodicals. |
| Related Material | See also the following collections held by the University of Surrey:
Rudolf Laban Archive, archive ref L
Joan Russell Archive, archive ref JR
Educational Dance-Drama Theatre Archive, archive ref ET
Betty Meredith-Jones Collection, archive ref BMJ
Audrey Wethred/Chloe Gardner Collection, archive ref AW
International Council of Kinetography Laban/Labanotation (ICKL) Archive, archive ref KL
Laban Art of Movement Guild Archive, archive ref LG |