Department of Cultural and Community Engagement. Division of Arts and Museums. Folk Arts Program Dance Music Project records, 1980-2002.

4.00 cubic feet

These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.

Historical Note

See history of the records' creator.

Summary of Records

This series contains records relating to the Dance Music project. The records exist in a variety of formats, documenting performances of the music traditions involved in the project, as well as the book produced from the project.

Scope and Content

In the Dance Music project, the Folk Arts Program highlighted old-time social dance and its significance to Utah culture. This series contains a book produced by staff from this project, "Social Dance in the Mormon West" along with its accompanying musical and sheet music releases. This series also contains recordings documenting the music traditions performed by those who lived in the community, including both audio and video tapes, as well as photographs.

Materials in this series were assigned a project number by the Folk Arts Program, consisting of a three-letter code, creation year, a letter indicating format, and the numerical order of the materials.

Arrangement

Generally by format, thereunder usually by assigned project number.

Access Restrictions

This series is classified as Public.

Use Restrictions

These records are available for reproduction and use.

Preferred Citation

Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

Custody History

This collection came into the custody of the Utah State Archives and Records Service in 2010 as part of a massive transfer of records from the Folk Arts Program. In 2023 staff from the Folk Arts Program collaborated with the State Archives to bring better intellectual and physical control over that unaccessioned collection.

Acquisition Information

These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.

Processing Information

Archival processing of this collection was done by Elizabeth Setterberg from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums and Carlton Jemmett of the Division of Archives and Records Service between June 2023 and July 2025.

Additional processing of this series was done by Katie McGirt between March and September of 2026.

Indexing Terms

Container List

Box	Description
1	Manila folders with articles, correspondence, track lists, newspaper articles, and other related Dance Music of Deseret materials. Colored photo slides ranging from DMD-89-S-0001 to DMD-02-S-0006. Black and white photos highlighting dance halls, historic photos, and musicians/dancers. One copy of "Social Dance in the Mormon West" book and "An Old-time Utah Dance Party" sheet music.
2	Various Dance Music Project media. Cassette tapes ranging from DMD-80-T-0121 to DMD-89-T-1419 organized chronologically by last four digits in archive number. Dates range from 1980-1997. DAT tapes. VHS tapes. DVDs of Merle Shumway workshops. CD's ranging from DMD-87-T-0377 to DMD-89-T-1419 organized chronologically by last four digits in archive number. Copies of Utah Dance Party music.
3	CD's ranging from DMD-91-D-0001 to DMD-87-T-0369 organized chronologically by last four digits in archive number. Dates range from 1980-1996.
4	CD's ranging from DMD-88-T-0555 to DMD-94-T-1057 organized chronologically by last four digits in archive number. Dates range from 1985-1994.