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Jensen, Mary Bee

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1917 - 2018

Biographical History

Mary Bee Jensen (1917-2018) was the co-founder of the National Folk Organization and the director of Brigham Young University’s International Folk Dancers.

Mary Bee Jensen was born on May 21, 1917, to Robert and Mary Margaret Bee in Provo, Utah. Mary attended school in Provo and graduated with honors from Provo High School in 1935. After high school she moved to Parksville, Missouri and attended Park College. Jensen grew up in a musical and scientific family. She followed the tradition and graduated with a BS in Biology. Growing up, she also loved sports, nature, and music. She was regularly employed at the YMCA camps in Colorado. She moved back to Utah and taught at Jordan High School. During this time she met and married Donald Alva Jensen on October 6, 1940. She taught a variety of classes, but her favorites were the sports and drill teams she tutored. She received an offer from Santa Barbara College to teach in 1952, but never left for California. Shortly after the offer, she was approached and offered another teaching position at Brigham Young University in physical education. Mary received her Masters degree from BYU, and in 1956 began directing the International Folk Dancers. For 22 years Jensen served her position well, loving her students, and providing them with opportunities globally. She was known all over Europe as the “red-haired lady with the smile”.

Mary Bee Jensen died on April 13, 2018, in Alpine, Utah.

Citation:
UPB files, July 7, 2014 (B. May 21, 1917; co-founder National Folk Organization; director of Brigham Young University’s International Folk Dancers, parents Robert and Mary Margaret Pee, education, work, how she was viewed by her students and abroad).

Facebook profile for Mary Bee Jensen, viewed Jul. 13, 2011 (Mary Bee Jensen; born on May 21, 1917) Online Curriculum Vitae for Mary Bee Jensen, viewed Jul. 13, 2011 (BA in Biology and Education from Park College, Missouri in 1939; MA in Recreation Education from Brigham Young University, Utah in 1963; began teaching in 1953 until 1984; co-founded and acted as president of the National Folk Organization in 1986) International Folk Dance Ensemble website, viewed Jul. 13, 2011 (Founded the International Folk Dancers at Brigham Young University, 1956 and acted as its director).

FamilySearch, via WWW, accessed January 31, 2020 (died on April 13, 2018 in Alpine, Utah).

Found in 9 Collections and/or Records:

International Folk Dance Ensemble budgets, approximately 1973-1978

 Series — Carton 32: Series 8 [Barcode: 31197225552204], Folder: 10
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 8
Scope and Contents

Contains budgets, ledgers, and expense reports for the International Folk Dance Ensemble from 1973 to 1978.

Dates: approximately 1973-1978

International Folk Dance Ensemble folklore records, approximately 1956-1981

 Series — Carton 31: Series 6 [Barcode: 31197225552196]
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 6
Scope and Contents

Contains folklore about dances of various countries around the world. This information was used to provide cultural background for the dances of the International Folk Dancers team (approximately 1956-1981).

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble newspaper clippings, approximately 1956-1981

 Series — Carton 24: Series 3 [Barcode: 31197225552121]
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 3
Scope and Contents

Contains newspaper clippings of the International Folk Dancers team from approximately 1956 to 1981.

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble photographs, approximately 1956-1981

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 5
Scope and Contents

Contains 6,276 photographs of the International Folk Dancers from approximately 1956 to 1981. Some photographs are mounted with cardboard backings, and some have corresponding photographic negatives.

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble recordings and film, approximately 1956-1981

 Series
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 4
Scope and Contents

Contains video recordings of the performances of the International Folk Dancers from approximately 1956 to 1981. Also includes some amateur footage of Coalville, Utah.

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble records

 Collection
Identifier: UA 1340
Scope and Contents Contains materials pertaining to the International Folk Dance Ensemble from approximately 1956 to 1981. Contains scrapbooks, photographs, newspaper clippings, tour information, correspondence, class inventories, budgets, audio and video recordings, programs, and folklore information. Materials cover performances and operations, mostly in Provo, Utah at Brigham Young University, and on tour in Europe. Many of the records were created by Mary Bee Jensen in her capacity as the director of the...
Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble scrapbooks, approximately 1956-1981

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 1
Scope and Contents

Contains scrapbooks from the International Folk Dancers' tours. Materials date approximately from 1956 to 1981. Miscellaneous items include flags, musical records, patches, posters, fans, awards, pins, buttons, tickets, and audio recordings.

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

International Folk Dance Ensemble tour records, approximately 1956-1981

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 1340 Series 2
Scope and Contents

Contains tour information for the International Folk Dancers, such as performance schedules, costume information, and contact information of students. Materials date from approximately 1956 to 1981.

Dates: approximately 1956-1981

Mary Bee Jensen scrapbook on the International Folk Dance Ensemble

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 5579
Scope and Contents

Materials include a photocopy and two digital copies on a compact disc of the scrapbook for the Brigham Young University International Folk Dancers, dating from between 1951 and 1964. Also contains the original scrapbook from which the photocopies were made.

Dates: 1951-1964

Filtered By

  • Subject: Dance X

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 7
Collection 2
 
Subject
College students -- Utah -- Provo 8
Dance companies -- Utah -- Provo 8
Folk dancing 8
Scrapbooks 3
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 2