WASHINGTON D.C. (CelebrityAccess) — The Library of Congress announced the acquisition of the papers of the famed choreographer Garth Fagan and the company he founded in 1970, Garth Fagan Dance.
Known for layering the polyrhythmic movement of traditional Afro-Carribean dance with the rigor and discipline of ballet, the company has gained fame with performances on six continents and in 660 cities around the world.
Fagan was also known for his work on Broadway, providing choreography for iconic productions such as Disney’s “The Lion King” which has been seen by more than 100 million people around the world in the past quarter of a century.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1940, Fagan went on to acclaim in the world of dance, earning countless awards and honors that include his 1998 Tony Award for Best Choreography and a Bessie Award for Sustained Achievement and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Fagan is also the recipient of honorary doctorates from The Julliard School, the University of Rochester and Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
“Garth Fagan’s footprint on dance has left a legacy that will never be forgotten; his work is a true celebration of Black culture,” said Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden. “The archives of his company, Garth Fagan Dance, will be a treasured addition to the Library’s performing arts collections.”
The material acquired by the Library of Congress includes photographs, programs, posters, correspondence, audio and visual recordings, creative and teaching notes, and documentation of the activities of Garth Fagan Dance.
“Joining the annals with Dunham and Ailey, music greats like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald and holographic music manuscripts written by Beethoven or Lizst or Mozart deeply moves me,” Fagan said. “I wonder what other accomplished Black people are still not seen because of constructs that make us invisible. Born in Jamaica and equally a son of America, I am proof that when you go looking, you can find an oasis of contribution living among the people.”
