Guide to the Papers of Meryl Tankard
MS 9940
National Library of Australia
| Date completed: | March 2006 |
| Last updated: | July 2007 |
Table of Contents
Collection Summary
Introduction
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Access
Copying and Publishing
Preferred Citation
Provenance
Related Material
Biographical Note
Series List and Descriptions
Series 1 The Australian Ballet, 1975-1978
Series 2 Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal, 1978-1984
Series 3 Early independent and collaborative projects, ca. 1984-1988
Series 4 Meryl Tankard Company, 1989-1992
Series 5 Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre, 1992-1999
Series 6 Freelance work, ca. 1989-2001
Series 7 Personal documents, ca. 1975-2002
Series 8 Posters, ca. 1989-1998
Series 9 Audio-visual material, 1990-2000
Container List
Collection Summary
| Creator: | Tankard, Meryl, 1955 - |
| Title: | Papers of Meryl Tankard |
| Date Range: | 1975-2002 |
| Collection Number: | MS 9940 |
| Extent: | 6.46 m (21 boxes + 12 folio boxes) + 2 items in Map Drawer |
| Repository: | National Library of Australia |
Introduction
Scope and Content
This collection documents Meryl Tankard's career as a dancer, performer, choreographer and artistic director from her early engagement with The Australian Ballet and her work with the Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal to her later independent and collaborative freelance projects up until 2002.
The collection includes programs, press clippings, photographs and conceptual and production notes for works created by Tankard, particularly Echo Point (1984), Travelling Light (1986), Two Feet (1988), The Deep End (1996) and Deep Sea Dreaming (2000) for the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.
A significant component of the collection is business documents and correspondence relating to the activities of the Meryl Tankard Company and Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre.
Arrangement
The collection has been organised to retain the arrangement of the donor where possible.
Access
The collection is partly restricted and partly closed. Series 4 (Folders 1-3) and Series 5 (Folders 4-9, 23-29) are closed for 50 years after Tankard's death. Access to the remainder of the collection is restricted, and written permission is required to use this material.
Provenance
The Meryl Tankard Papers were acquired by the Library from Meryl Tankard through the Cultural Gifts Program in 2003. Tankard has retained papers documenting her career from 2002 until the present.
Copying and Publishing
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Related Material
Manuscripts:
Records, 1984-1992, Meryl Tankard Company (MS 9264)
Benesh movement notation of Nuti, 1989-1990 Meryl Tankard (MS 8309)
Records, 1979-1988, Human Veins Dance Theatre (MS 7629)
Oral History:
Interview with Meryl Tankard, choreographer, artistic director (1999) Interviewer: Michelle Potter (ORAL TRC 3939)
Interview with Meryl Tankard, dancer and choreographer (1990) Interviewer: Shirley McKechnie (ORAL TRC 2602)
Pictures:
Portraits of Meryl Tankard in 1984 and 1988 and scenes from Meryl Tankard Company productions 1989-1992 / Régis Lansac (PIC P503/1-27 P570/1-3 LOC Drawer S7)
Wild Swans, performed by The Australian Ballet at the Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, June 2003 / Régis Lansac (nla.pic-vn3079011)
Ephemera:
Tankard, Meryl (choreographer) : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia (PROMPT Ephemera)
Meryl Tankard Company : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia (PROMPT Ephemera)
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Meryl Tankard, National Library of Australia, MS 9940, [series and folder number]'.
Biographical Note
Meryl Tankard was born in Darwin but took her first dance lessons in Melbourne after moving there as a young child. Tankard took classes in Newcastle and then in Sydney before being accepted into The Australian Ballet School at the end of 1973.
Tankard began her professional career as a dancer with The Australian Ballet at the end of 1975, choreographing her first work, Birds Behind Bars for a workshop program titled Dance Horizons in 1977.
Tankard's greatest early successes as a performer, however, came during the time she spent in Germany with Pina Bausch and her Tanztheater Wuppertal between 1978 and 1984. Tankard was a principal artist with Bausch and toured extensively with the company. She created roles in several of Bausch's best-known works, including Cafe Muller, Kontakthof, Arien, Keuschettslegende, 1980, Walzer and Bandoneon. In Germany Tankard also worked with the medium of film. In 1980 she played the leading role in Quak fur Donald Mit Lieben Gruss, which was filmed in Munich and Disneyland and screened on German television, and in 1982 she co-wrote and performed in Sydney an der Wupper, a 45 minute film that was awarded the Gold Film Band at the 1983 Berlin Film Festival.
After leaving Bausch, Tankard divided her time between Australia and Europe for a number of years. In Europe she guested with Bausch's company and danced with Lindsay Kemp. In Australia she made Echo Point in 1984 and in 1986 worked on Robyn Archer's television production of The Pack of Women and in the television serial Dancing Daze. In 1986 she also devised and directed Travelling Light . In 1988 she created her evening-length solo work Two Feet, which marked a major turning point in the creative collaboration she had established with photographer and visual artist Régis Lansac whom she had met in the mid 1980s. Lansac created slide projections to accompany Two Feet and continued to develop this aspect of the collaboration in ensuing years.
In 1989 Tankard took up directorship of a small company in Canberra, which she named the Meryl Tankard Company. Works made in Canberra included Banshee (1989), VX18504 (1989), Nuti (1990), Kikimora (1990), Court of Flora (1990), Chants de mariage I and II (1991-1992), and Songs with Mara (1992). While working in Canberra Tankard also revived Echo Point and Two Feet, collaborated with the theatre director Pierre Bokor on Circo (1991), created choreography for Opera Australia's Death in Venice (1989) and made Sloth as part of Seven Deadly Sins, a program of seven works from seven contemporary Australian choreographers filmed by the ABC and screened in 1993.
After four years in Canberra, Tankard moved to Adelaide to take on the directorship of Australian Dance Theatre. For Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre, Tankard reworked some of the pieces she had made in Canberra. New works created in Adelaide included Furioso (1993), Aurora (1994), Possessed (1995), Rasa (1996), which was made in collaboration with Padma Menon, Seulle (1997) and Inuk (1997). While in Adelaide she also choreographed The Deep End (1996) for The Australian Ballet and her second work for Opera Australia, Orphee et Euridyce.
Tankard left Adelaide in 1998 after a dispute with the Company's Board and began a career as a freelance choreographer. Her commissions since then have come from a diverse range of sources. In 1998 she made Bolero for the Lyon Opera Ballet and in 2000 Tankard created Deep Sea Dreaming for the Olympic opening ceremony and The Beautiful Game for Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 2002 she and Lansac created Merryland, a work for Nederlands Dance Theater III. Wild Swans (2003) was a joint commission from The Australian Ballet and the Sydney Opera House.
Series List and Descriptions
Series 1 The Australian Ballet, 1975-1978
This series consists of material relating to Tankard's work with The Australian Ballet, which she joined in 1975. The cuttings scrapbook highlights performances by the Ballet during this period, including those in which Tankard was involved, and articles about dancers within the company, particularly Maina Gielgud. The sketchbooks contain sketches and notes for Tankard's first major choreographic work, Birds Behind Bars (1977), which she created for a workshop program, Dance Horizons. Tankard left The Australian Ballet in 1978.
Series 2 Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal, 1978-1984
Tankard joined Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal in 1978. The bulk of the series consists of writings about Pina Bausch and her company featured in magazines and press clippings, as well as programs of performances. Images of Tankard feature prominently within this material. There are also six notebooks which set out logistical and choreographic details, costume sketches and dialogue relating to various works, together with documents relating to a television drama Quak Fur Donald Mit Lieber Gruss (1980) and a German film titled Sydney an der Wupper (1982), both starring Tankard.
Tankard continued to feature as a guest artist with Pina Bausch Tanztheater until 1988.
Series 3, Item 12 contains a small amount of material relating to work with Pina Bausch Tanztheater, 1977.
Folder 4 Programs and clippings from Adelaide Festival of the Arts (1982) and Olympic Arts Festival (1984), 1982-1984
Series 3 Early independent and collaborative projects, ca. 1984-1988
This series documents choreographic works created by Tankard in this first major period of independent activity, including conceptual and production notes and sketches, correspondence and cast information, clippings and promotional material. Documents relating to Echo Point (1984, restaged 1989) and Travelling Light (1986) form the most comprehensive part of this series. Also represented is material relating to Tankard's work choreographing for fashion parades, film and television.
Items in this series relating to Tankard's choreography for fashion parades range from 1977-1989. Items relating to her work with Hermes range from 1987-1994.
See Research Materials in Series 7 in relation to Two Feet (1988).
Folder 1 Research material, notes and budget information for unrealised production 'Three Sisters,' later titled Echo Point (1984)
Folder 4 Lever arch file containing synopsis, cast resumes, promotional material and program, copies of press clippings for Echo Point (1984, restaged 1989)
Folder 10 Lever arch file of production notes, budget, cast information and press clippings, Travelling Light (1986)
Folder 12 Lever arch file with sections marked Midsummer Nights Dream (1985), King of Country (1986), Dancing Daze (1985), Pack of Women (1986), Elegy (1987), Veneer (1988), Jacob's Pillow and Wuppertal
Folder 14 Documents relating to participation at Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music (1987) and Jacob's Pillow (1988)
Folder 15 Programs, correspondence, notes and cast information for Queen Victoria Building fashion parades, 1987-1988, and clippings and programs for various other fashion parades, 1977-1989
Series 4 Meryl Tankard Company, 1989-1992
In 1989 Tankard became artistic director of the Meryl Tankard Company in Canberra. This series consists of a small amount of material relating to the Meryl Tankard Company, including artistic director and administration reports, policy documents and board minutes. Also included is a company portfolio, which contains information and images of various works in a display folder. Tankard left Canberra at the end of 1992 to take on the artistic directorship of the Australian Dance Theatre.
Further details can be found in Records, 1984-1992, Meryl Tankard Company (MS 9264)
Folder 1 Policy documents, meeting agendas and minutes, documents regarding Friends of the company, 1989-1992
Series 5 Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre, 1992-1999
In 1992 Tankard became artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre in Adelaide, subsequently renamed Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre. This series consists of correspondence and documents relating to the business activities of the company, including agendas, minutes, budgets and director's reports. Major correspondents include Sylvie Guillam, Didier Le Besque, Melsine Grevesmühl, Christian Haag, Justice Margaret Nyland and Anthony Steel.
The 1998 dispute between Tankard and the company's Board is documented through Tankard's personal notes and correspondence with her management company, Board members, company staff and the South Australian Minister for the Arts, Diana Laidlaw, as well as letters of support, copies of debate in South Australian Legislative Council and the 1998 deed of termination between Australian Dance Theatre and Tankard.
Folder 16 Correspondence with Lyon Opera Ballet, 1996-1997. Letters of support for Possessed (1998), 1996-1998
Folder 25 Display folio of press clippings relating to dispute with Board. Includes two photographs, 1998-1999
Folder 26 Papers relating to dispute with Board, 1998-1999
Includes folders labelled 'L'inquisition' and 'Dead' and broadsheet announcement in The Advertiser newspaper.
Folder 27 Papers relating to dispute with Board, 1998-1999
Includes deed of termination between Tankard and the company.
Folder 28 Miscellaneous papers and correspondence including material relating to dispute with Board.
One folder labelled 'Christian' contains correspondence with Christian Haag.
Series 6 Freelance work, ca. 1989-2001
This series contains material relating to various works created by Tankard such as The Deep End (1996) for The Australian Ballet, Bolero (1998) for Lyon Opera Ballet, her choreography for Opera Australia's Death in Venice (1989) and for Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Beautiful Game (2000), as well as Deep Sea Dreaming (2000), which she created for the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony.
The Deep End (1996) and Deep Sea Dreaming (2000) are particularly well represented through production notes, correspondence and press clippings.
Folder 6 Oversized congratulatory card, The Deep End (1996)
Envelope also contains birthday card from Régis Lansac.
Series 7 Personal documents, ca. 1975-2002
This series contains personal documents collected by Tankard, including greeting cards and a small amount of correspondence, as well as magazines and programs. A component of this series is photocopied research material.
Research on Annette Kellerman and Olga Spessivtzeva may have been used as source material for the work Two Feet (1988). See Series 3 for further details about this production.
Folder 1 General correspondence from single correspondents (small amount), 1977-1996
Including letters from Nikki Tankard, Peter Crosbie, Belvoir St. Theatre and Ausdance.
Series 9 Audio-visual material, 1990-2000
This series consists of numerous spool tapes and videos. The spool tapes contain music used for performances choreographed by Tankard and the videos are of performances. Exceptions include a documentary about Tankard and videos of interviews, award ceremonies, and Tankard conducting auditions.
Container List
| Series | Folder/item | Box |
| 1 | 1-2 | Folio Box 1 |
| 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | 1-4 | 1 |
| 2 | 5-7 | 2 |
| 2 | 8-11 | 3 |
| 2 | 12-14 | 4 |
| 2 | 15 | Folio Box 1 |
| 3 | 1-3 | 5 |
| 3 | 4 | Folio Box 1 |
| 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | 6-8 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 | 7 |
| 3 | 10 | Folio Box 2 |
| 3 | 11 | 7 |
| 3 | 12 | Folio Box 2 |
| 3 | 13-15 | 7 |
| 3 | 16-17 | Folio Box 3 |
| 3 | 18-19 | 8 |
| 3 | 20 | Folio Box 1 |
| 3 | 21 | 8 |
| 4 | 1-3 | 9 (closed) |
| 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 4 | 5-7 | 10 |
| 5 | 1-3 | 10 |
| 5 | 4-7 | 11 (closed) |
| 5 | 8 | Folio Box 12 (closed) |
| 5 | 9 | 11 (closed) |
| 5 | 10-12 | 12 |
| 5 | 13-18 | 13 |
| 5 | 19-20 | Folio Box 4 |
| 5 | 21-22 | 13 |
| 5 | 23 | 14 (closed) |
| 5 | 24-25 | Folio Box 12 (closed) |
| 5 | 26-29 | 14 (closed) |
| 5 | 30-32 | 15 |
| 5 | 33 | Folio Box 4 |
| 6 | 1-3 | 16 |
| 6 | 4 | Folio Box 5 |
| 6 | 5 | 16 |
| 6 | 6 | Folio Box 5 |
| 6 | 7-12 | 17 |
| 6 | 13-14 | 18 |
| 6 | 15 | Folio Box 5 |
| 6 | 16-17 | 18 |
| 6 | 18 | Folio Box 5 |
| 6 | 19 | 18 |
| 7 | 1-5 | 19 |
| 7 | 6-7 | 20 |
| 7 | 8 | Folio Box 6 |
| 7 | 9 | 20 |
| 7 | 10-13 | Folio Box 6 |
| 7 | 14 | Map Drawers |
| 7 | 15-16 | 20 |
| 7 | 17-19 | 21 |
| 7 | 20 | Folio Box 7 |
| 8 | 1 | Map Drawers |
| 9 | All | Folio Boxes 8-11 |