Larry Jennings was a dancer, caller, dance organizer, author, and dance philosopher
who had a nationwide influence through his writings, series of discussion sessions
attended by callers and organizers, and individualized critiques of dance callers
over a period of 50 years. He was the originator of the phrase “zesty contras” and
promoted a style of contra dancing, first learned at Ralph Page dances in the 1950s,
featuring strong connections between dancers, meticulous phrasing, vigorous swings,
and smooth transitions from one figure to another. This style of energetic contra
dancing, modeled in part on the monthly Sunday “Zesty Contra Series” that Larry
helped initiate and shape in 1974 at the Cambridge (MA) VFW, eventually spread
around the country.
Larry served as a board member on many Boston folk organizations, most notably the
New England Folk Festival Association (NEFFA) and the Folk Song Society of Greater
Boston (FSSGB). In 1974-1975 he was the Program Chair for the NEFFA Festival,
bringing in more folk music and musicians as an integral part of the program, making
sure that all events were listed, and presenting events on time with leaders
policing themselves to stay within the schedule. In 2004 the Country Dance and Song
Society (CDSS) presented Larry with its Lifetime Contribution Award, its only other
awardee at the time being Helene Cornelius, an English country dance leader.
A 1951 graduate of MIT and a physicist by profession, Larry brought his analytical
mind to bear on everything he did, including dancing. He was the author of Zesty Contras (1983), a book which marked a turning
point in contemporary contra dancing. In it, he collected some 500 dances and
introduced them with what he himself termed “a provocative explanatory text,” a
series of 14 mini-lectures that examining various aspects of contra choreography,
organization, music, and instruction. “You may not have always agreed with Larry,”
said one New England caller, “but his strong opinions forced you to examine your own
ideas and to think more clearly about what you were doing.” With Ted Sannella and
Dan Pearl, Larry co-authored a “Contra Connection” column in the CDSS News from 1988 to 1995. He also created a handout,
describing Almost All You Need to Know to Enjoy a New England Style Dance. In
2004, NEFFA published his long-awaited second book Give-and-Take, which contains 628 dances. Included are more provocative
remarks as well as “exhortative essays and arcane analyses.” In fact, fully half the
contents are essays and minutes from discussion sessions.
Larry Jennings died of congestive heart failure and Parkinson’s Disease in June 2005.
The collection consists of correspondence, mostly with Al Olson, concerning background
work and drafts for the book Zesty Contras. Also
included are background work and drafts for Give and
Take. There is also a large amount of correspondence with Ted Sannella
concerning Sannella's book, Swing the Next. Other
materials include dance notes for Thursday Nite VFW and Austin, Texas Sessions,
papers and correspondence relating to Jennings's involvement with NEFFA, articles
and correspondence from others who are and were involved in contra dance, and
miscellaneous posters and fliers.
This collection is open.
Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions
about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.
[Identification of item], [Folder], [Box], Larry Jennings Papers, 1950-2005, MC 195, Milne Special
Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH,
USA.
Box 1 |
---|
Box 1, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, ARO-Index
1979-1984 |
Box 1, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept
1973-Mar 1977 |
Box 1, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Apr-May
1977 |
Box 1, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug-Dec
1977 |
Box 1, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan-June
1978 |
Box 1, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings,
July 1978-Apr 1979 |
Box 1, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May-Aug
1979 |
Box 1, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept-Nov
1979 |
Box 1, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov-Dec
1979 |
Box 1, Folder 10 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan-Apr
1980 |
Box 1, Folder 11 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Apr-Aug
1980 |
Box 1, Folder 12 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept-Dec
1980 |
Box 1, Folder 13 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan-Mar
1981 |
Box 2 |
---|
Box 2, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Mar
1981-May 1981 |
Box 2, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May 1981-Sept 1981,
BB-CC |
Box 2, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Oct 1981-Dec 1981, BB-CL |
Box 2, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1982-Mar 1982, CL-DM |
Box 2, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Apr 1982-May 1982, CL-DM |
Box 2, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July 1982-Aug 1982,
DN-ED |
Box 2, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug 1982-Sept 1982,
EN-ED |
Box 2, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept 1982-Oct 1982,
EE-ET |
Box 2, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Oct 1982-Nov 1982, EE-ET |
Box 2, Folder 10 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1982-Dec 1982, EU-FS |
Box 3 |
---|
Box 3, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Dec 1982-Jan 1983, EU-FS |
Box 3, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan 1983-Feb 1983, FT-GQ |
Box 3, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1983-Mar 1983, FT-GQ |
Box 3, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Mar 1983-Apr 1983, GR-HQ |
Box 3, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Apr 1983-May 1983, GR-HQ |
Box 3, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May 1983-Jun 1982, HR-IF |
Box 3, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1983-July 1983,
HR-IF |
Box 3, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July
1983, IG-JR |
Box 4 |
---|
Box 4, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug
1983, IG-JB |
Box 4, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug
1983, IG-JB |
Box 4, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug 1983-Sept 1983, JC-
JQ |
Box 4, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept 1983-Oct 1983, JC-
JQ |
Box 4, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Oct
1983, JR-KT |
Box 4, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1983-Feb 1984, JR-KT |
Box 4, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Mar 1984-June 1984,
KU-LQ |
Box 4, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings,
Aug 1984-Dec1984, KU-LQ |
Box 4, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan 1985-Feb 1985, LR-ML |
Box 5 |
---|
Box 5, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1985-Apr 1985, LR-ML |
Box 5, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Apr 1985-June 1985,
LR-ML |
Box 5, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1985-July 1985,
MM-ND |
Box 5, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July 1985-Sept 1985,
MM-ND |
Box 5, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept 1985-Nov 1985,
NE-NW |
Box 5, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1985-Dec 1985, NE-NW |
Box 5, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1986-Apr 1986, NX-PL |
Box 5, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1986-June 1986,
NX-PL |
Box 5, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1986-Oct 1986,
PM-QC |
Box 6 |
---|
Box 6, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1985-Oct 1986,
PM-QC |
Box 6, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1986-May 1987, QD-QS |
Box 6, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1986-May 1987, QD-QS |
Box 6, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1987-Aug 1987,
QT-RT |
Box 6, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept 1987-Oct 1987,
QX-RB |
Box 6, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Sept 1987-Dec 1987,
RC-RH |
Box 6, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Dec 1987-Jan 1988, RJ-RL |
Box 6, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan 1988-Feb 1988, RM-RQ |
Box 6, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings,
Dec 1987-May 1988, RJ-RY |
Box 6, Folder 10 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1988-Nov 1988,
RZ-TE |
Box 7 |
---|
Box 7, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1988-Nov 1988,
RZ-TE |
Box 7, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, June 1988-Nov 1988,
RZ-TE |
Box 7, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Dec 1988-Jan 1989, TF-UB |
Box 7, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Dec 1988-Jan 1989, TF-UB |
Box 7, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Dec 1988-Jan 1989, TF-UB |
Box 7, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1989-May 1989, UC-UZ |
Box 7, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1989-May 1989, UC-UZ |
Box 7, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1989-May 1989, UC-UZ |
Box 7, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May 1989-July 1989,
WA-WN |
Box 7, Folder 10 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May 1989-July 1989,
WA-WN |
Box 7, Folder 11 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, May 1989-July 1989,
WA-WN |
Box 8 |
---|
Box 8, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug-Nov 1989, WP-XF |
Box 8, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug-Nov 1989, WP-XF |
Box 8, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Aug-Nov 1989, WP-XF |
Box 8, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1989-Jan 1990, XG-XT |
Box 8, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1989-Jan 1990, XG-XT |
Box 8, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1989-Jan 1990, XG-XT |
Box 8, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1990-July 1990,
XU-YN |
Box 8, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1990-July 1990,
XU-YN |
Box 8, Folder 9 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Feb 1990-July 1990,
XU-YN |
Box 9 |
---|
Box 9, Folder 1 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July 1990-Nov 1990,
YP-ZG |
Box 9, Folder 2 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July 1990-Nov 1990,
YP-ZG |
Box 9, Folder 3 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, July 1990-Nov 1990,
YP-ZG |
Box 9, Folder 4 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1990-Nov 1991, ZH-AE |
Box 9, Folder 5 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1990-Nov 1991, ZH-AE |
Box 9, Folder 6 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Nov 1990-Nov 1991, ZH-AE |
Box 9, Folder 7 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan 1992-Jan 1993, AF-AU |
Box 9, Folder 8 | | Al Olsen and Jennings, Jan 1992-Jan 1993, AF-AU |
Box 10 |
---|
Box 10, Folder 1 | | Zesty Contras permissions,
1981-1983 |
Box 10, Folder 2 | | Zesty Contras permissions,
1983 |
Box 10, Folder 3 | | Zesty Contras copyright registration,
1983 |
Box 10, Folder 4 | | Misc. Zesty Contras sales notes,
1983-1984 |
Box 10, Folder 5 | | Misc. Zesty Contras sales notes,
1983-1984 |
Box 10, Folder 6 | | Misc. Zesty Contras editing,
1982-1983 |
Box 10, Folder 7 | | Zesty Contras, proof copy, with editing 1981-1982 |
Box 10, Folder 8 | | Zesty Contras, proof copy, with editing
1983 |
Box 10, Folder 9 | | Zesty Contras, proof copy, with editing
1983 |
Box 10, Folder 10 | | Zesty Contras, examination copy
1983 |
Box 10, Folder 11 | | Zesty Contras, Thank-yous,
1983 |
Box 11 |
---|
Box 11, Folder 1 | | beginnings of Give and Take, NEFFA discussions, 1987 |
Box 11, Folder 2 | | beginnings of Give and Take, NEFFA discussions, 1989-1992 |
Box 11, Folder 3 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 1 |
Box 11, Folder 4 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 2 |
Box 11, Folder 5 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 3 |
Box 11, Folder 6 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 4 |
Box 11, Folder 7 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 5 |
Box 11, Folder 8 | | Dance Transcription Notebook, Part 6 |
Box 11, Folder 9 | | Give and Take - Master Index List of Dances |
Box 11, Folder 10 | | Give and Take - Contact List and Index List |
Box 11, Folder 11 | | Give and Take - Transcribed dances by Robert Cromartie, 1998-2002 |
Box 11, Folder 12 | | Give and Take - Transcribed dances by David Kaynord, 1999 |
Box 11, Folder 13 | | Give and Take - Transcribed dances by Steve
Zakon-Anderson, 1999-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 14 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, IG 18-29, 1999-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 15 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, G 31-37, 2000-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 16 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, G 39-44, 2000-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 17 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, G 43, 2000-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 18 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, G 45-53, 2000-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 19 | | Give and Take - Dances to Transcribe and Edit, G 54-85, 2000-2003 |
Box 11, Folder 20 | | Give and Take - Editing,
1992-1993 |
Box 11, Folder 21 | | Give and Take - Editing,comments by Ted Sannella, 1992 |
Box 11, Folder 22 | | Give and Take - Editing, comments by Christine Hale, 1992 |
Box 11, Folder 23 | | Give and Take - Editing, comments by Sam Rotenberg, 1993 |
Box 12 |
---|
Box 12, Folder 1 | | Give and Take, Editing correspondence,
1994 |
Box 12, Folder 2 | | Give and Take, Editing,
1992 |
Box 12, Folder 3 | | Give and Take, Editing,
1993-2002 |
Box 12, Folder 4 | | Give and Take, Editing of Chapter VIII,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 5 | | Give and Take, Editing of Dance Transcriptions, 1998 |
Box 12, Folder 6 | | Give and Take, Dance Lists,
1998 |
Box 12, Folder 7 | | Give and Take, Dance Lists,
1998 |
Box 12, Folder 8 | | Give and Take, Dance Lists,
1998 |
Box 12, Folder 9 | | Give and Take, Dance notations for Chapter IX, 2003 |
Box 12, Folder 10 | | Give and Take, Dance notations for Chapter IX, 2003 |
Box 12, Folder 11 | | Give and Take, Dances to Edit, H 15-51,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 12 | | Give and Take, Dances to Edit, H 55-74,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 13 | | Give and Take, Dances to Edit, T 1-9,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 14 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 1-17,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 15 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 1-33,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 16 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 1-32,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 17 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 33-74,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 18 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 81-144,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 19 | | Give and Take, Editing of Chapter 2,
2003 |
Box 12, Folder 20 | | Give and Take, Editing of Chapter 3,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 21 | | Give and Take, Editing of Chapter 3,
2002 |
Box 12, Folder 22 | | Give and Take, Partial Draft,
2002 |
Box 13 |
---|
Box 13, Folder 1 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 139-176, Dec 2002 |
Box 13, Folder 2 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 1-174,
Jan 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 3 | | Give and Take, Draft of pages 1-115 edited by Lynn Ackerson,
Feb 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 4 | | Give and Take, Draft, Feb
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 5 | | Give and Take, Draft, Mar
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 6 | | Give and Take, Editing by Lee, pages 1-50, May 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 7 | | Give and Take, Editing by Larry, May
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 8 | | Give and Take, Editing by Daniel Morse, pages 1-74, Sept 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 9 | | Give and Take, Master Draft, part 1,
Sept 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 10 | | Give and Take, Master Draft, part 2,
Sept 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 11 | | Give and Take, Master Draft, part 3,
Sept 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 12 | | Give and Take, Master Draft, part 4,
Sept 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 13 | | Give and Take, Editing by Kiran Aug
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 14 | | Give and Take, Editing by Kiran Oct
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 15 | | Give and Take, Draft, part 1, Nov
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 16 | | Give and Take, Draft, part 2, Nov
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 17 | | Give and Take, Draft, part 3, Nov
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 18 | | Give and Take, Draft, pages 39-63,
Dec 2003 |
Box 13, Folder 19 | | Give and Take, Draft, Chapter 2, Apr
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 20 | | Give and Take, Draft, Chapter 3, Nov
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 21 | | Give and Take, Draft, Chapter 3, Dec
2003 |
Box 13, Folder 22 | | Give and Take, Style Manual, 1999,
2003 |
Box 14 |
---|
Box 14, Folder 1 | | Give and Take, Dance Transcriptions, 1993-1998 |
Box 14, Folder 2 | | Give and Take, Dance Transcriptions, 1993-1999 |
Box 14, Folder 3 | | Give and Take, Dance Transcriptions, Tentatively Nominated for
2CS, 1994-1999 |
Box 14, Folder 4 | | Give and Take, Copyright of Choreographic Works, Guidelines,
2002 |
Box 14, Folder 5 | | Give and Take, Draft, Pages 9-38, December 8, 2003 |
Box 14, Folder 6 | | Give and Take, Draft, Pages 1-39, January 8-10,
2004 |
Box 14, Folder 7 | | Give and Take, Draft, March 22,
2004 |
Box 14, Folder 8 | | Give and Take, Draft, March 22,
2004 |
Box 14, Folder 9 | | Give and Take, Draft, March 22,
2004 |
Box 14, Folder 10 | | Give and Take, Draft, Larry's Mark up, Pages 1-22 |
Box 14, Folder 11 | | Give and Take, Dance Transcriptions, Chapter IX |
Box 14, Folder 12 | | Give and Take, Draft, Pages 1-67 |
Box 14, Folder 13 | | Give and Take, Bound Draft and Edits, 2004 |
Box 14, Folder 14 | | Give and Take, Draft, Marked "For
Kiran" with his edits (?) |
Box 14, Folder 15 | | Give and Take, 2004 Reprint
Follow-ups |
Box 22 |
---|
Box 22, Folder 5 | | Austin Contra Dance, June-Aug 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 6 | | Austin Contra Dance, Sept-Nov 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 7 | | Austin Contrs Dance: planning with William Watson, June 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 8 | | Austin Contra Dance: planning with William Watson, July 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 9 | | Austin Contra Dance: Program Assessment, Sept 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 10 | | Austin Contra Dance: Random notes from Callers' Meeting, 1995 |
Box 22, Folder 11 | | Austin Contra Dance: Misc. correspondence, 1998-2000 |
Box 22, Folder 12 | | Austin Contra Dance: Flyers, |
Box 22, Folder 13 | | Black Jokers Morris, 1978-1981 |
Box 22, Folder 14 | | Black Jokers Morris, 1982-1986 |
Box 22, Folder 15 | | Black Jokers Morris, Misc., 1982-1986 |
Box 23 |
---|
Box 23, Folder 1 | | Black Jokers Morris, Music and Steps, June-Aug 1995 |
Box 23, Folder 2 | | Boston Folk Dance Community correspondence 1988-1989 |
Box 23, Folder 3 | | Cambridge Folk Orchestra correspondence, 1975-1981 |
Box 23, Folder 4 | | Country Dance Society Boston correpondence, 1975-1977 |
Box 23, Folder 5 | | Country Dance Society Boston correpondence, 1978-1984 |
Box 23, Folder 6 | | Country Dance Society Boston correpondence, 1985-1989 |
Box 23, Folder 7 | | Country Dance and Song Society CDSS correpondence, 1984-1999 |
Box 23, Folder 8 | | Country Dance and Song Society CDSS: Contra Connection drafts and editing, 1986-1991 |
Box 23, Folder 9 | | Country Dance and Song Society CDSS: Contra Connection drafts and editing, 1991-1993 |
Box 23, Folder 10 | | Country Dance and Song Society CDSS: Contra Connection drafts and editing, 1995 |
Box 23, Folder 11 | | Country Dance and Song Society CDSS: Contra Connection copies, |
Box 23, Folder 12 | | Folk Arts Center of New England correspondence, 1975-1977 |
Box 23, Folder 13 | | Folk Arts Center of New England correspondence, 1981 |
Box 23, Folder 14 | | Folk Song Society of Greater Boston correspondence, 1973-? |
Box 23, Folder 15 | | Heritage Dance Association correspondence, 1985-1988 |
Box 23, Folder 16 | | M.I.T. Folk Dance Club misc. papers, 1975-1977 |
Box 23, Folder 17 | | Misc. Dance Schedules 1985-1993 |
Box 24 |
---|
Box 24, Folder 1 | | National Caller's Showcase correspondence, 1992-1994 |
Box 24, Folder 2 | | New England Dance Committee correspondence, 1996-1997 |
Box 24, Folder 3 | | Northeast Music and Dance NOMAD correspondence, 1989 |
Box 24, Folder 4 | | Pinewoods Morris Men correspondence, 1968-1980 |
Box 24, Folder 5 | | Ralph Page Legancy Weekend correspondence, 1986-1990 |
Box 24, Folder 6 | | Ralph Page Legancy Weekend correspondence, 1991-1993 |
Box 24, Folder 7 | | Ralph Page Legancy Weekend correspondence, 1996-1998 |