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Maria Pogee Papers (MS-00383)

Abstract

The Maria Pogee Papers (1942-2019) document the life and career of Argentinian born dancer, choreographer, and actress, Maria Pogee. Pogee worked extensively in Argentina, Chile, Lebanon, around the United States and in Las Vegas, Nevada. Materials include press clippings, show programs, correspondence, and photographs representing Pogee's entertainment career such as her work in the stage production of Peter Pan and choreography for Juliet Prowse and Shirley MacLaine. Other materials includes various unproduced show concepts with designs, storyboards, and scripts that she worked on with costume designer José Luis Viñas. Materials also include scrapbooks documenting her dance career dating from 1952 to 2009 which contain original correspondence, programs, photographs, and newsclippings. Materials also document Pogee's life and career outside of entertainment including her work directing fashion shows, operating a tourism company, and as a yoga instructor.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

1942 to 2019

Extent

6.51 Cubic Feet (6 boxes, 6 oversized boxes)
10.95 Linear Feet

Related People/Corporations

Scope and Contents Note

The Maria Pogee Papers (1942-2019) document the life and career of Argentinian born dancer, choreographer, and actress, Maria Pogee. Pogee worked extensively in Argentina, Chile, Lebanon, Las Vegas, Nevada, and around the United States. Materials include press clippings, show programs, correspondence, and photographs representing Pogee's entertainment career such as her work in the stage production of Peter Pan and choreography for Juliet Prowse, Shirley MacLaine, and for a 1998 UNLV production of the The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Materials also include scrapbooks documenting her dance career dating from 1952 to 2009 which contain original correspondence, programs, photographs, and newsclippings.

The collection includes material documenting her work as a choregrapher for the show Stars! in Sun City, South Africa, and as a producer for a ski wear fashion show called Ellesse. Other material includes various unproduced show concepts with designs, storyboards, and scripts that she worked on with costume designer José Luis Viñas. Other files focus on her work for Ra-Ma Tours, which she co-owned with her husband, Ruben Grinspanas and training materials that document Pogee's experiences as a yoga instructor. Lastly, the collection includes examples of her Spanish-language poetry and copies of her artwork.

Access Note

Collection is open for research. Where use copies do not exist, production of use copies is required before access will be granted; this may delay research requests; please contact UNLV Special Collections and Archives for additional information.

Publication Rights

This material is made available to facilitate private study, scholarship, or research. Maria Cecilia Garcia transferred all right, title and interest they had in the Maria Pogee Papers (MS-00383) to UNLV. However, the material may be protected by copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity rights, or other interests not owned by UNLV. Users are responsible for determining whether permissions are necessary from rights owners for any intended use and for obtaining all required permissions. Acknowledgement of the UNLV University Libraries is requested. For more information, please see the UNLV Special Collections policies on reproduction and use (https://www.library.unlv.edu/speccol/research_and_services/reproductions) or contact us at special.collections@unlv.edu.

Arrangement

Materials are arranged by topic.

Biographical / Historical Note

Dancer and choreographer Maria Pogee was born in Argentina in 1942 and named Elvira Maria Victoria Garcia. She started her dance training at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina when she was seven years old and also attended the National School of Dance. Pogee appeared on television variety shows and toured the United States with the Lobato dancers. She worked with choreographer Larry Maldonado and Barry Ashton in the 1960s who came up with her professional stage name, Maria Pohji. By 1974, her professional stage named was changed to Maria Pogee.

Pogee worked as an assistant to several choreographers, directors, and producers for shows in Las Vegas, Nevada and around the United States. She worked with choreographer Jerry Jackson on the Tony Orlando and Dawn show at the Riviera Hotel and as an assistant to Donn Arden and Nick Navarro for Lido de Paris at the Stardust Hotel and Casino. Pogee also worked with dancer and actress Juliet Prowse on productions such as the Juliet Prowse Show at the Desert Inn Hotel and Stars! at Sun City Resort in South Africa. Outside of her work in Las Vegas, Pogee choreographed, directed, and performed globally for television, theatres, and cabaret. She worked as an actress in the 1972 film Wacky Taxi and on stage playing Tiger Lily in the 1979 Broadway production of Peter Pan.

In the 1980s, Pogee choreographed and directed fashion and trade shows in Las Vegas and around the United States for fashion companies like Beconta ski clothing, Sears. Inc, and Ellesse USA. In 1998, Pogee choreographed a production of the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She also owned and conducted Ra-Ma Tours, a tour company dedicated to international tourism in the United States, with her husband Ruben Grinspanas from 1976 to 2006. Pogee also taught Hatha yoga for several years in addition to teaching dance classes and workshops around Las Vegas.

As of 2024, Maria Pogee lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Source:

Maria Pogee Papers, 1942-2019. MS-00383. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1249h

Preferred Citation

Maria Pogee Papers, 1942-2019. MS-00383. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1249h

Acquisition Note

Materials were donated in 2024 by Maria Cecilia Garcia; accession number 2024-023.

Processing Note

In 2024, Sarah Jones accessioned the collection and created the finding aid in ArchivesSpace. In 2024, Tammi Kim rehoused the collection, organized the materials, and created the inventory in ArchivesSpace.

Resource Type

Papers

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NvLN::MS00383

Appraisal Note

Acquired by Su Kim Chung, curator, as part of UNLV Special Collections and Archives holdings in entertainment. 0.10 linear feet of material that contained financial and personally identifiable information was removed and securely disposed during processing.

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English