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Poster for the Colorado Ballet's
Buffalo Bill's Saloon, 1997
Poster for the Colorado Ballet's
Rubies, Configurations, and Roll 'em, 1996
Poster for David Taylor Dance Theatre's
Rainforest, 1995
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Collection
Overview
Creator: Various
Title: Dance Poster Collection
Inclusive Dates: ca. 1928-
Size: 324 posters
Processed By: Finding aid prepared
by Glenn Giffin, Web version prepared by Kathy Mitchell, October
2002; revised July 2003
Scope
and Content
The Dance Poster Collection consists of over 300 display advertising
posters that depict dance, festival, film, and theatrical performances.
Many of the posters feature dance companies from the Denver and
Rocky Mountain region, including the Colorado Ballet, Ballet West,
Rocky Mountain Ballet Ensemble, Colorado Contemporary Dance, Cleo
Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Denver Ballet Guild, Canyon Concert
Ballet, and the Nancy Spanier Dance Theatre of Colorado. The posters
represent ballet, modern dance and folkdance from 1928 to the present.
The collection is part of the Carson-Brierly Dance Library, housed
in the Special Collections Department at Penrose Library.
About Posters
Posters are meant to be seen. The term applies to a sheet of paper
on which typographic or visual design attracts the eye and is intended
for public display by being affixed – “posted” – on a wall, lamppost
or bulletin board. Kiosks for this purpose are popular on college
campuses in the United States and are a fixture of European open
squares. In the main, posters are printed on one side only.
As a type of advertising, posters set out the particulars of a
presentation for the general public, most often in a formal venue,
and regardless of whether for free or by paid admission. Posters
may herald individual performers, companies or ensembles, as a subscription
series, films, debates, exhibitions, sports competitions, civic
ceremonies (i.e. parades and graduations), and political meetings.
All such posters can be called time-specific; that is, occurring
on a definite calendrical date and a chronological time, or within
a range of dates with specific times of performance or exhibition.
Outside the date-specific poster is the product advertisement.
These may announce the introduction of a new design or product.
Most commercial companies tend to use outright advertising in newspapers,
magazine and broadcast media before poster display in this regard,
but product posters are not unknown, especially from dealerships
and distributor outlets.
A third kind of poster has also become popular. It, too, is not
date-specific. These are the "art" or "fan" posters and, unlike
date specific and product posters, are not intended for public display,
but rather within a private setting: bedrooms and dorms in the case
of "fan" posters (e.g. sports teams, rock ensembles or artists),
or as alternatives to "fine" art in homes and offices. The appeal
of the latter is tasteful image and low cost. These frequently reproduce
famous works of art, or extol contemporary artists (or photographers)
whose work is not readily accessible or too valuable for informal
settings. (Some date-specific posters have emigrated to the "art"
category: those designed by Toulouse Latrec, Jean Cocteau and Leon
Bakst, for example, where the artistic vision outweighs the transitory
nature of the message.)
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All posters are ephemeral, intended for a limited length of effectiveness.
Notwithstanding this intent, posters chronicle events within a community,
styles and genres of advertising, the existence of companies and
venues available to the public, and the popularity of certain imagery.
For the purposes of this collection, the term, “Dance Poster” defines
any of the above categories insofar as dance or dancing is the predominant
subject.
Posters within the Carson-Brierly Dance Library exist in several
formats. The following terms have been used to distinguish the varying
sizes:
- Handbill: approximately six by nine inches or roughly
half a standard (eight and a half by eleven inch) sheet of paper.
These may be inserted in programs, folded as mailers, or put on
display tables. Normally the images duplicate larger, standard
design used as signature (immediately identifiable) images for
a show or company. These may or may not include a logo (a trademarked
symbol, shield or mascot) of the company. Handbills are usually
supplied in bulk by a company or ensemble for overprinting of
specific performance information: dates, times, venue, sponsor,
ticket prices and telephone number. Images may be purely typographic,
reproductions of a sketch or production design (e.g. costume sketch)
or photographic.
Note: Handbills are not collected on a formal basis by
the Carson-Brierly Dance Library. (See “Tango Argentino” for handbill,
storefront and fullsheet representations.)
- Mailers: Letter size (eight and half by eleven inches)
or larger, folded and mailed as advance publicity to institutions,
schools or businesses for bulletin board display. These are normally
printed on light stock, avoiding weight and may be as large as
the next-largest category of poster.
- Storefront, placard, and single sheet: Normally
printed on stiff, even self-supporting stock, widely distributed
for window or counter display in retail stores and business lobbies.
Sizes range from approximately one and half by two feet to two
by three feet.
- Fullsheet: For display outside or in the lobby of a
theater. Size is approximately three by five feet.
- Three-sheet, marquee: For major display outside a theater.
As the name implies, multiple sheets must be used. Size can be
as large as a billboard.
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