1997 – Seeing Jazz Move – Dance and Music Improvisation performance inspired by the exhibition “Seeing Jazz”  presented by the Smithsonian International Gallery – S. Dillon Ripley Center, Washington, DC, December 5, 1997 at 6:30 pm.  FREE – founding curator, Maida Withers. and DC co-curators, musicians and dancers.  This event became the DC 3rd International Improvisation Plus+ Festival and that was the “official” starting of the festival.

Dancers and musicians were from the DC area, New York, the Netherlands, and China improvised in 7 galleries.  Curated by Maida Withers for the DC 3rd International Improvisation Plus+ festival.  Jim Levy directed the jazz music ensemble with 18 jazz musicians performing live in the galleries.

Some Artists/Guests:  Maida Withers, Joseph Mills, Wen Hui, Gloria McLean, Cyrus Khambatta, Reginald Crump, Michael Vatcher, Sarah Slifer, Daniel Burkholder, Sharon Mansur, Katie Duck and Vincent Cacalano.

The exhibition was organized by Smithsoniaan Institution traveling Exhibition Service…A presentation of America’s Jazz Heritage, a partnership of the Lila-Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund and the Smithsonian Institution. Romare Bearden, In E Sharp, 1981, Oil and Collage on paper.  Courtesy Estate of Romare beaden Rombare Bearden Foundation, Inc.