Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1921-1945 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
16 items
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sara Payne was born in England in 1907 into a theatrical family. She was the daughter of the theatre director Ben Iden Payne and actress Mona Limerick. Payne was amongst the first cohort of students at Ninette de Valois’ school, the Academy of Choreographic Art, London. From 1928 until 1931 she was Principal at the Abbey Theatre School of Ballet. In 1936, Payne returned to Dublin, where she established the Sara Payne School of Dance and Mime and a dance company. In parallel, she worked as a choreographer and dancer at the Gate Theatre.
Payne’s vision for the development of ballet in Ireland focused on fusing ballet with traditional Irish dance steps and patterns. This is exemplified by her Irish-themed ballets, including Doomed Cuchulain, The Scarecrow and A Fiddler’s Story. Payne’s inclusion of trained traditional Irish dancers and musicians in performances took her vision a step further.
In c. 1946, Payne return to England, and by 1955 she was working again with de Valois at the White Lodge, Royal Ballet School, London, where she remained until her retirement in 1972. Sara Payne died in 1993.
Repository
Archival history
Collected by Sara Payne during her lifetime and passed to her son after her death.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by Sara Payne’s son on 13 December 2011, except for N43/1/13, which was donated by Sara Payne’s daughter on 7 March 2012.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Mainly programmes and press cuttings illustrating Sara Payne’s career as a dancer, teacher and choreographer; the activities of the Payne School of Dance and Mime; and the early development of ballet as an art form in Ireland.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
All records have been retained.
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
The documents have been divided into three series according to their form and thereunder arranged chronologically by date.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access to all items.
Conditions governing reproduction
Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.
Language of material
- Béarla
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Paper documents in good or reasonable condition.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
For additional programmes of performances by Sara Payne Ballet, see the Catherine Gyll Papers (N26) in the National Dance Archive of Ireland.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
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Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition (2000), Irish Guidelines for Archival Description (2009), National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (1997) and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services (2018).
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in January 2012 and revised in August 2020.