Berg, Harriet

Detroit Recreation Department Dance Program: Shirley Harbin Records

drice — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:59:08 -0400

The Detroit Recreation Department has had a long and storied history of mergers, re-naming, re-organizing, and re-structuring. Growing out of once separate Parks and Recreation Commissions, its history has long included a Recreation Division which administered a dance program as part of its Special Activities Unit. Shirley Harbin was hired in 1963 as a Senior Recreation Instructor in Drama, and by 1971, she was the Senior Recreation Instructor in Dramatics and Music. At the time Harbin was with the department, Eleanor Cattron was the Senior Recreation Instructor of Dance.

The Records encompass more than just Harbin's tenure. They capture Recreation Dancing in Detroit though the administration, performances, scripts and plans of the Dance Program, along with references to other dance studios and initiatives in the metro area including the Harbinger Dance Company, the Mme. Cadillac Dance Theatre, the Jewish Community Center, and the Detroit Metropolitan Dance Project. Of special research value is the large collection of original choreographed dances dating to 1924 that were performed by the students in classes and performances. The choreographed dances include ballet, tap, modern and folk dancing, often indicating the particular musical score to which the counts and measures have been assigned.

Michigan Dance Archives: Harriet Berg Papers, Part 4

aergas — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:05:19 -0500

Part 4 of the Berg papers includes many documents and photos on Berg's dance companies at the JCC, especially the Festival Dancers and Young Dancers Guild, as well as dance classes and events there. There are also materials on summer dance camps at Camp Maas and Camp Tamarack, along with various conferences, as well as general teaching materials. There are many scrapbooks from various dance groups and events. AV materials include DVDs, video and 2 films.

2013: The Digital Year in Review

cwesterman — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 15:53:37 -0500

At the start of 2014, the Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs would like to take a moment to remember the year that's just ended and revisit the content that was added to our website in 2013. It was a banner year for the Reuther's blog, with more visits, visitors, and pageviews than in any previous year. read more »

Congratulations to Harriet Berg -- 100 years young

aergas — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:19:37 -0500

The Reuther Library extends its congratulations to Harriet Berg on becoming a centenarian this month. Berg has been a choreographer, teacher, performer and arts advocate in the Detroit area for many decades, especially known for her historical dance companies, the Madame Cadillac Dancers and the Renaissance Dance Company. read more »

In Memoriam: Harriet Berg, 1924-2025

aergas — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:13:05 -0500

The Reuther Library announces with sadness the death of Detroit cultural icon Harriet Berg on February 20, 2025.
More than 30 years ago, Harriet and her husband Irving Berg founded and endowed the Michigan Dance Archives (MDA) at the Reuther Library. read more »

(38449) Harriet Berg dancing, 1960s

pneirink — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 10:05:13 -0400

Harriet Berg dancing, circa 1960's.

(47145) Harriet Berg as the Teeny-Tiny Lady, c. 1960s

eclemens — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 09:01:44 -0500

Harriet Berg poses as the Teeny-Tiny Lady.

Inscription on verso reads: "Love from the Teeny Tiny Lady...again. Nov. 1980."

[Podcast] "You Do It and You Teach It": 90 Years of Dance at Wayne State

teller — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 10:31:25 -0400

Eva Powers, recently retired associate professor and former chair of the Maggie Allesee Department of Dance, shares the fascinating history and bright future of the modern dance program at Wayne State University. One of the longest-running dance programs in the country, it traces its origins to the Dance Workshop, founded in 1928 by Professor Ruth Lovell Murray. read more »