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Diana Adams Memorabilia


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Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and a total newcomer to the ballet world. My daughter is the executor of the estate of Diana Adams daughter, Georgina. In her effects are a number of beautiful pictures of Diana en pointe and other classic ballet poses. There are also numerous head shots of her and a pen& ink drawing as well. My daughter knows these would be important to someone and hates to dispose of them. We do not know very much about Diana's history or whether these pictures would be important for us to keep or donate? Can anyone help. Thanks for any information.

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Hi, cheryl44tn.

I imagine that Ms. Adams' daughter must have had some very desirable items. It might be worth a call/note to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts ("contact us" link at the foot of the page). If they are not interested, they may be able to suggest institutions that might be. All efforts should be made to preserve the items as a collection, at least until they can be evaluated by an expert.

Also, has your daughter contacted the New York City Ballet?

If your daughter is unable to donate the items as an intact unit, I'm sure we have readers who, like me, would like an opportunity to browse and possibly bid on some of the items on eBay or a similar site.

I am saddened to hear that Georgina has died. She must have been quite young. My sympathies to her survivors.

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Adams of course had careers at Ballet Theatre as well as New York City Ballet.

the NYPL would be an ideal place to house these items.

but as noted above if they are to be sold, a note to ballettalkers regarding when and how would be helpful.

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You might contact Miami City Ballet. Edward Villella was at New York City Ballet when Diana Adams was there. In the lobby of the studios in South Beach there is a hallway with pictures of famous dancers. I don't recall if there is already a picture of her, perhaps cubanmiamiboy or bart would know?

By the way, the pictures there are of real interest and worth a trip to see when in the area!

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Hi, cheryl44tn.

I imagine that Ms. Adams' daughter must have had some very desirable items. It might be worth a call/note to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts ("contact us" link at the foot of the page). If they are not interested, they may be able to suggest institutions that might be. All efforts should be made to preserve the items as a collection, at least until they can be evaluated by an expert.

Also, has your daughter contacted the New York City Ballet?

If your daughter is unable to donate the items as an intact unit, I'm sure we have readers who, like me, would like an opportunity to browse and possibly bid on some of the items on eBay or a similar site.

I am saddened to hear that Georgina has died. She must have been quite young. My sympathies to her survivors.

Thank you for your information and sympathies. If my daughter decides to sell these items I will post the details (where & when) on this site. She had thought about E-bay but did not know if there was a market for the above mentioned items.

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Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and a total newcomer to the ballet world. My daughter is the executor of the estate of Diana Adams daughter, Georgina. In her effects are a number of beautiful pictures of Diana en pointe and other classic ballet poses. There are also numerous head shots of her and a pen& ink drawing as well. My daughter knows these would be important to someone and hates to dispose of them. We do not know very much about Diana's history or whether these pictures would be important for us to keep or donate? Can anyone help. Thanks for any information.

My daughter just informed me that all photos were stamped by the artist - Martha Swope

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I wasn't aware that Diana's daughter had died. Is there a link to her obituary? I would have liked to know more about her, since Diana gave up her dance career to have a child.

There was no published obituary for Georgina Bates. She took her own life earlier this year. Due to the circumstances of her death no public services were held. She was cremated and her ashes scattered with those of her mother, Diana Adams and father Ronald Bates per her wishes in her will. She had married and divorced - I'm not sure the dates. She never had any children of her own. She was an animal lover and left several dogs, cats and fish as her only survivors. She was living in Savannah, Georgia at the time of her death.

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I wasn't aware that Diana's daughter had died. Is there a link to her obituary? I would have liked to know more about her, since Diana gave up her dance career to have a child.

There was no published obituary for Georgina Bates. She took her own life earlier this year. Due to the circumstances of her death no public services were held. She was cremated and her ashes scattered with those of her mother, Diana Adams and father Ronald Bates per her wishes in her will. She had married and divorced - I'm not sure the dates. She never had any children of her own. She was an animal lover and left several dogs, cats and fish as her only survivors. She was living in Savannah, Georgia at the time of her death.

I'm very sorry to hear of the nature of her passing.

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That's very sad to hear. As a die hard Balanchine/NYCB fan, I read over and over in accounts of Adams - and the history of the company - how much she wanted a child. So Georgina Bates was somebody who, in a small way, people were acquainted. Hopefully she knew how much she was wished for by her parents.

I hope this memorabilia will find a good home.

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My daughter just informed me that all photos were stamped by the artist - Martha Swope

Martha Swope was the foremost dance photographer of that time. Those pictures are indeed valuable. I remember Diana Adams -- I revered her as a child. I am so sorry to hear about the fate of her and Ronald Bates' daughter.

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That's very sad to hear. As a die hard Balanchine/NYCB fan, I read over and over in accounts of Adams - and the history of the company - how much she wanted a child. So Georgina Bates was somebody who, in a small way, people were acquainted

The late Ms. Bates is mentioned in Suzanne Farrell’s biography also. Farrell mentions something to the effect that when she was born, the whole company was happy for her parents and ‘felt they had birthed her.’ Very distressing news.

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I just discovered this old thread tonight. I was a very close childhood friend of Georgina Bates, and found this discussion when trying to track her down when my birthday phone call to her didn't go through. If anyone can tell me more, please do. She was like my sister when we were kids. Although it happened more than a year ago, I lost her tonight.

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Georgina Bates was the daughter of Ronald Bates. Ronald Bates was the grandson of Homer Bates who was a brother to my great grandmother, Carrie Bates Casey. I would love to learn more information about Georgina Bates for my family genealogy tree. I know she was married to a Mr Vaughan, however besides her birth date and death date, this is all I know about her.

Thanks,

Rita Kay

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Welcome to BalletTalk, RitaKay.

If you are willing to have the administrators of BalletTalk pass your e-mail address on to evegen and cheryl44tn, we will forward it to them. You can use the "Contact Us" link near the upper-right corner of the screen to let us know.

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Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and a total newcomer to the ballet world. My daughter is the executor of the estate of Diana Adams daughter, Georgina. In her effects are a number of beautiful pictures of Diana en pointe and other classic ballet poses. There are also numerous head shots of her and a pen& ink drawing as well. My daughter knows these would be important to someone and hates to dispose of them. We do not know very much about Diana's history or whether these pictures would be important for us to keep or donate? Can anyone help. Thanks for any information.

Hello. I posted a query yesterday when I learned of my very close childhood friend Georgina's death. I learned of it by receiving her Christmas card back with a note from the current owner of her Savannah home that Georgie died a few years ago. I had lost touch with her and was worried because we would typically talk at the holidays and I never heard from her after last year's card. I sent this year's card and was very excited to receive a letter from Savannah yesterday, until I opened the envelope to see that note. I found this site with only a little information about Georgie's death. I have to tell you I have been completely devastated for the past 24 hours and I am hoping someone who knew the circumstances of Georgie's death, a little about her life in her past few years, will contact me and share what they know. I spent last night digging out our childhood photos together and I am heartbroken to think that she took her own life. I am hoping someone can tell me that that piece is not true. Please, if you have any information, please contact me through this site and I can share my phone # or e-mail address. I spent more time at Georgie's house than I did my own as a child (we lived next door to one another - Evegen who also wrote on this site, lived on the other side of Georgie. We all played together as kids). Diana Adams was like a mom to me; I considered their dog, Pepper, to be my dog too. I have wonderful memories of being backstage during the Nutcracker at the NYCB as well as at the SPAC summer ballet programs when her dad, Ronald Bates, was directing the lighting. Evie, if you read this, please contact me. I've been trying to find you on-line, but don't know where you are. Thank you to anyone who can help me understand this terrible tragedy...........Judiann

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The Diana Adams ballet photos that Georgina's executrix has are extremely valuable. They are historical photographs and should be kept as a whole collection and given to NYC Ballet  or NYC Library. Diana Adams was a ballet dancer of high note, and one of George Balanchine's most beloved ballerinas. Those ballet photographs of Diana Adams will be cherished.

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On 1/10/2012 at 8:10 PM, judiann said:

Hello. I posted a query yesterday when I learned of my very close childhood friend Georgina's death. I learned of it by receiving her Christmas card back with a note from the current owner of her Savannah home that Georgie died a few years ago. I had lost touch with her and was worried because we would typically talk at the holidays and I never heard from her after last year's card. I sent this year's card and was very excited to receive a letter from Savannah yesterday, until I opened the envelope to see that note. I found this site with only a little information about Georgie's death. I have to tell you I have been completely devastated for the past 24 hours and I am hoping someone who knew the circumstances of Georgie's death, a little about her life in her past few years, will contact me and share what they know. I spent last night digging out our childhood photos together and I am heartbroken to think that she took her own life. I am hoping someone can tell me that that piece is not true. Please, if you have any information, please contact me through this site and I can share my phone # or e-mail address. I spent more time at Georgie's house than I did my own as a child (we lived next door to one another - Evegen who also wrote on this site, lived on the other side of Georgie. We all played together as kids). Diana Adams was like a mom to me; I considered their dog, Pepper, to be my dog too. I have wonderful memories of being backstage during the Nutcracker at the NYCB as well as at the SPAC summer ballet programs when her dad, Ronald Bates, was directing the lighting. Evie, if you read this, please contact me. I've been trying to find you on-line, but don't know where you are. Thank you to anyone who can help me understand this terrible tragedy...........Judiann

Dear Judiann - I had lost track of both your contact information and this website until a message popped up today. I'd been hoping to reconnect with you. I can't believe it's already been so many years. I hope that all is well with you - and that you also are receiving alerts from this blog and will see this. Let's be in touch. -Best, Eve

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On 8/14/2010 at 7:48 PM, RitaKay said:

Georgina Bates was the daughter of Ronald Bates. Ronald Bates was the grandson of Homer Bates who was a brother to my great grandmother, Carrie Bates Casey. I would love to learn more information about Georgina Bates for my family genealogy tree. I know she was married to a Mr Vaughan, however besides her birth date and death date, this is all I know about her.

Thanks,

Rita Kay

Hello Rita Kay, I would be happy to share about this with you if you want to connect via email.

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On 7/12/2008 at 7:46 PM, cheryl44tn said:

My daughter just informed me that all photos were stamped by the artist - Martha Swope

 

On 7/11/2008 at 5:23 PM, cheryl44tn said:

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and a total newcomer to the ballet world. My daughter is the executor of the estate of Diana Adams daughter, Georgina. In her effects are a number of beautiful pictures of Diana en pointe and other classic ballet poses. There are also numerous head shots of her and a pen& ink drawing as well. My daughter knows these would be important to someone and hates to dispose of them. We do not know very much about Diana's history or whether these pictures would be important for us to keep or donate? Can anyone help. Thanks for any information.

Hello, I wondered what has ultimately become of the photos and drawings of Diana. Would you please let us know if they are now held by an institution or are they in private hands? Many thanks, - Eve

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cheryl44tn - I think it might be a good idea if you contacted the Balanchine Trust, explained what items your daughter had and ask their advice of how important they might be and where they should go.

Ellen Sorrin, George Balanchine Trust, 20 Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023

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