Carmelita Maracci, who worked in Los Angeles from 1924 until her death in 1987, made an indelible mark on the dance world, stunning audiences with powerful technique and a boundary-breaking style. Her performance career, resulting tragically in what Maracci described as “unplanned oblivion,” did not bring the fame that many felt she deserved, though her years of teaching extended her legacy well beyond Los Angeles. The Dance Historian Is In brings Maracci into focus with photos, video, and audio from the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, spotlighting this extraordinary artist and interrogating the measures by which we assess historical significance.

For more than 10 years, The Dance Historian Is In at the Library for the Performing Arts has highlighted a diverse range of dancers and choreographers across history. This series began when archivist and historian David Vaughan started volunteering at the Jerome Robbins Dance Division. Vaughan began a monthly program showing his favorite dance films from the Division's extensive collection, through which he unearthed many treasures, and helped acquire even more. Vaughan continued the series until the end of his life. Today, we honor his memory and work by inviting dance historians from all over the world each month to carry on the tradition of highlighting dance history through the Dance Division's moving image collection.