FareWell: To The End of the World as We Know It OR Dancing Your Way to Paradise

Original Performance on July 19, 2008

2008 – “FareWell is a modern Greek-style tragedy, delivered by a warrior goddess.” Ballet-Dance Magazine, Carmel Morgan.

Dance Place Performance:  http://vimeo.com/17018474
Trailer:  https://vimeo.com/15561322

TOURS:  2008-2012
World Premiere:
  Zagrebi Festival! Zagreb, Croatia  (U.S. Embassy) (2011)
USA Premiere:  Fringe Festival, Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC (2008)
Local Performance: Dance Place, Washington, DC (2010)
Tours:
Performatica, Puebla Mexico (2009)
GoDown Center, Nairobi, Kenya (U.S. Department of State, Cultural Envoy) (2008)
Laban International Celebration, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2008)
Amazing EarthFEST, Kanab, Utah (2009)
Alwin Nikolais 100th Anniversary Celebration, Hunter College, NYC  (2010)
7th Annual Carnival of eCreativity, Sattal Estate, Bhimtal/Himalayan India State of Uttarakhand, India (2012)
India International Center (IIC) (US Embassy) (2012)
Dance in the Desert Festival, Las Vegas, Nevada ( )

SAMSUNG

Maida Withers, Zagrebi Festival, Croatia…..night out

An evening-length performance by pioneering choreographer Maida Withers, Steve Hilmy, electronic musician/composer, and Ayodamola (Ayo) Okunseinde, new media artist. Fare Well brings insight and vibrant critique to the contemporary issue of end time. Fare Well is as extreme in its moods and absurdities as we might think of “extreme weather.” We watch hypnotized, immobilized, arrogant, innocent and powerful – as the fires rage, volcanoes erupt, the Arctic melts, the Earth becomes parched, and the seas rise.
The performance engages the audience intimately through the real-time interactive aspects of the performance where the dance takes place in ever-changing projected environments on the floor and the backdrop. The electronic music, created and performed live by Steve Hilmy, is dramatic and penetrating. The text brings immediacy and clarity to the ideas as the dancer talks and frame questions to the audience.

Interviews with collaborators on camera:
http://maidadance.com/works/fare-well-comments-by-choreographer-maida-withers
http://maidadance.com/works/fare-well-comments-by-composer-steve-hilmy
http://maidadance.com/works/farewell-comments-by-media-artist-ayo-okunseinde
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DSC_3259-3                   Improvisation for party after performance – Washington Fringe Festival, D.C.Selman_70_Ayo Maida SteveSteve Hilmy, Composer/Musician; Maida Withers, Choreography/Performer; Ayo Okenseinde, Media “LIVE”

 

What the press is saying

"Fare Well is a modern Greek-style tragedy, delivered by a warrior goddess." Carmel Morgan
"Washington has its own grande dame of modern and post-modern dance: 74-year-old Maida Withers, who founded her Dance Construction Company in 1974. Continuing to make and tour new works, Withers, still a professor at George Washington University, brought her current piece, the excessively titled “Fare Well -– The End of the World As We Know It OR Dance Your Way To Paradise!” to Washington after touring to New York, Kenya, Utah and Brazil. A lengthy solo featuring Steven Hilmy’s electronic sound score performed live, as well as poems by David McAleavey and Alex Caldiero, the work is an unrestrained call to action. Never one to shy away from hot-button issues, here Withers, swathed in a white tunic over bright red undergarments, her shock of matching white hair, becomes Gaia, a literal mother earth, a crone warning all to heed the environmental chaos." Lisa Traiger
:A FareWell to arms: "The Cold War and the green wars inflect Maida Withers' choreography.
(Story and photos) Karanjeet Kaur
"Three best shows this fortnight: International Center: Maida Withers Dance Construction Company presents two contemporary performances, Tuesday, February 21, 2012. Cirtic's Choice
Your Friendly Weekly Guide. Event: Festival of Dance and Music. Maida Withers Dance Construction Company. FareWell - The End of the World As We Know It OR Dancing Your Way to Paradise; Thresholds Crossed Part 2: Delhi Diary
Your Friendly Weekly Guide. Event: DanzLenz. Screening of 8 dance films by Maida Withers; Page 30; Habitat Center, Kri Foundation; New Delhi, India Delhi Diary
30 minute interview for national radio braodcast and 30 minute interiew with national television stations. Television interview included excerpts of Withers dance film shorts. Arshia Sethi, National Media Specialist

Artists and Collaborators
Choreographer/Director
Electronic Composer/Musician
Visual and New Media Artist
Poet
Performance Poet - SLC Performance
Other Performances
  • Zagrebi Festival!(map) on September 10, 2010
  • Performatica Festival. Puebla, Mexico(map) on April 19, 2009
  • GoDown Center(map) on June 3, 2008
  • Laban International Celebration, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil(map) on April 26, 2008
  • Amazing EarthFEST(map) on May 22, 2009
  • Alwin Nikolais 100th Anniversary Celebration(map) on December 4, 2010
  • 7th Annual Carnival of eCreativity, Sattal Estate(map) on February 26, 2012
  • Dance Place(map) on November 6, 2010
  • International Cultural Center, New Delhi, India(map) on February 21, 2012
  • Dance in the Desert Festival _ Las Vegas 2010; Nicholas J. Horn Theatre College of Southern Nevada(map) on July 30, 2010
  • Utah Arts Festival, Salt Lake City, Utah(map) on June 28, 2008
  • GoDown Center, Nairobi, Kenya(map) on June 3, 2008