The University of Iowa Libraries

Francoise Martinet was born in Morocco at the time of the French in Casablanca. The family moved to Spokane, Washington in 1949 where Martinet found a dance teacher. At age fifteen she went to New York trying to pass as eighteen and attempted to join a dance club. Her ruse did not work and she returned to Spokane. She sought advice from dance teacher Mary Anne Wells, known as the teacher of leading dancers Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino. Eventually she studied with Robert Joffrey in New York city.

When Martinet came to the University of Iowa in 1978 the dance program was a part of the Department of Physical Education for Women. Students could acquire a B.A. in physical education with a certificate in dance. The program has since become a fully autonomous program with BA, BFA, and MFA degrees. Martinet retired from the University of Iowa Dance Department in December, 1997.

The collection consists of an audio tape of a interview of Martinet dated January 4, 1998 by Winston Barclay of WSUI, the radio broadcasting service of the University of Iowa. Barclay opens the interview referring to the almost twenty years Professor Martinet served on the Dance Department faculty. The ensuing discussion betweenthem deals with changes in dance training, innovation, and work practices. Martinet ends the interview with a summary of her dance training philosophy.

The summary transcription of the interview, a University of Iowa Dance Department Newsletter on Martinet, and newspaper clippings complete the collection.

Alternate Extent Statement: One audiocassette [AC414].

Arrangement: One folder, shelved in SCVF.

Access: The papers are open for research.

Use: Copyright has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

Acquisition: The audiocassette was donated by WSUI (donor no. 203) in 1998.

Preferred Citation: Francoise Martinet papers, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository:	Iowa Women's Archives
Address:	100 Main Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone:	319-335-5068
Curator:	Kären Mason
Email:	lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website:	http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.

Personal Names:
Martinet, Francoise
Barclay, Winston

Corporate Names:
University of Iowa Dept. of Physical Education and Dance

Dates:
1970-1979
1980-1989
1990-1999

Topics:
Women in higher education

Occupations:
Dance teachers
College teachers
Ballerinas

Geographic Names:
Iowa City (Iowa)

Genre/Form of Materials:
Archives
Oral histories (Document genres)
Personal papers
Sound recordings

Browse:
Teachers and Teaching