University of Central Florida Special Collections and University Archives. All rights reserved.
Similar records may be found by searching under the following index terms.
Ms. Iva Kitchell-Webster’s husband, Stokely Webster donated these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives Department in 1984 after Ms. Kitchell-Webster's death.
Materials have been placed in acid-free folders and housed in an acid-free box. All rusty items such as metal paper clips and staples have been removed so as to prevent any futher damage to the materials.
The entire collection is open for research.
Unpublished records are protected by copyright. Permission to publish quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
University of Central Florida Theater, Special Collections, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Iva Kitchell-Webster Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Iva Kitchell-Webster (1908-1983) led a successful career as a dancer parodying various classical and modern dance styles. She began dancing at the age of 3 and had her own dance troupe at age 12. Early in her career she began to spoof all the aspects of modern dance, the Zeigfield era, and traditional dances she found ridiculous. Described as a unique artist, Ms. Kitchell-Webster was the only performer who made a whole career of traveling the world performing her dance satires. In 1933, she married painter and aeronautical engineer Stokely Webster. Iva Kitchell-Webster retired from dance in 1957. In 1983, she and her husband took up residence in Flagler Beach, Florida after many years as Long Island, New York residents.
One series comprises this collection.
Series I: Career Materials, (1947-1984) contains newspaper clippings, photographs, and performance programs from Kitchell-Webster's years as a dancer.
This series holds materials collected and created during the career of Iva Kitchell-Webster as an artist and dancer. Some materials were obtained after Kitchell-Webster's retirment in 1957 but were retained for this collection as they are related to her dancing career. Also included are reproductions of her husband's, Stokley Webster, artwork in postcard prints depicting street scenes as well as Kitchell-Webster in various poses. The postcards were printed in 1980 but are representative of his work from 1933-1977. Watercolors done by Webster of Kitchell-Webster can also be found here. The correspondence file contains a letter written to Kitchell-Webster by the Museum of the City of New York after her donation in 1972 of costumes she wore in her career.