Acquisition:	Compiled by Theatre Arts staff from the William H. Crain Collection
	Processed by:	Valerie Burns, 2002; Eric Colleary and Grace Hansen, 2015

Repository:

Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Marquis George de Cuevas, ballet impresario and choreographer, was born in Santiago, Chile in 1884. In 1927, he married Margaret Strong, granddaughter of John D. Rockefeller, and was the founder and director of Ballet Institute (1943) and Ballet International. De Cuevas took over the company of Nouveau Ballet de Monte Carlo, changed its name to Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo, and brought to Europe such American dancers as Rosella Hightower, Marjorie Tallchief, William Dollar, and others. In 1950, the company became Le Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, and in its final years, International Ballet of the Marquis de Cuevas. On March 30, 1958, he famously challenged ballet choreographer Serge Lifar to a public duel with swords, due to a disagreement over the ballet Suite en Blanc. De Cuevas died in Cannes in 1961.

	This collection contains materials relating to George de Cuevas and his dance companies, ca. 1944-1962. It is divided into the following series: I. Articles & Periodicals; II. Business Records; III. Clippings; IV. Photographs, and V. Programs.
	Included are a number of articles and review clippings, business records including press releases, and handbills, programs, and posters for performances. Especially notable are the photographs, which include publicity shots as well as production photographs that feature images of the entire company.

The Dance Collection contains several playbills and posters for Marquis de Cuevas’ Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo.