Dance for the Earth  (Six dances including Rolling Thunder)
“Intricately weaves rich and layered movement materials in a ritualistic contemporary dance narrative, a new world myth.  The gift, the knowledge of the earth, is brought forth. Those who hear the message change – transforming themselves with the Earth.”  Maida Withers, Program, 1992.Rolling Thunder, USA: February 7 and 8, 1992, Arlington, VA

USA: Sky Cloud, Messenger Eagle, Spirit Figures, Still Rush, and Rolling Thunder / Transformation (February 7 & 8, 1992, Arlington, Virginia)

USA Video:  Dance for the Earth  – Entire evening: https://vimeo.com/100908352;
Rolling Thunder: (Begin 28:34 to 1:06:30) Video: Rolling Thunder, only, USA:  https://vimeo.com/101003244  (14:18)

MWCCCo was in Brazil with 100 international artists for the earth, OMAME Projeto*, as participants in education and performance activities in Brasilia, May 1992 (3 to 4 weeks, dates to be determined), and Rio de Janeiro, June 3 to 14, in association with United Nation’s Earth Summit, Eco ’92.

Brasilia, Brazil: Messenger Eagle, Spirit Figures, Still Rush and Rolling Thunder (May  6?, 1992) staged for the stunning National Theatre, OMAME Projeto Opening Ceremony, no video available. Maida also performed a shortened version of In Winds of Sand and Prologue.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:  Rolling Thunder (June ? 1992) la Playa da Flemengo beach stage with four Americans and 5 Brazilian dancers.  For viewing Eco ’92, Rio de Janeiro  La Playa do Flemengo beach stage performance, visit:  https://vimeo.com/102322719.

*For more information about Projeto OMAME, please visit https://maidadance.com/works/united-nations-earth-summit-eco-92/.

Rolling Thunder features beautiful aluminum (silver) tubes (discovered by Maida during a birthday celebration for Hilda Thorpe, noted American female sculptor and visual artist, in the attic (storage space for Hilda’s art objects) in Thorpe’s studio in Old Town Alexandria.  Original tubes were offered to MWDCCo for our use in the Rolling Thunder project. Hilda had used similar aluminum tubes and objects related to inner workings of architecture as part of her visual art work.  Exposure of architectural and functual aspects were commonly used and included by artists of her generation in the USA. Hilda was associated with the highly recognized “color school” in Washington, DC.

MWDCCo earliest contact for participation in Eco ’92 was through Marilyn Wood, Celebration Artist, USA. We are grateful to Marilyn for introducing us to the opportunity to be participants in Eco ’92.

It was necessary in Brazil to purchase and cut aluminum pipes to specifications – the metal tubes manipulated and worn in Rolling Thunder.  Dancers carried the tubes, wore them as a head dress, played and pounded the metal as a drum and rolled them to create a thunderous sound as part of the choreography.

USA: “Messenger Eagle” / “Rolling Thunder”
Below: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil “Eco ’92” – Rolling Thunder, Brazil and American Dancers

Rolling Thunder (USA and Brazil cast) La Playa da Flemengo Beach Stage Performance in Rio de Janeiro, United Nation’s Eco ’92 Events
Top Photo:  Spirit Figures (MWDCCo)          Bottom Photo:  Messenger Eagle
Bottom Photo:  Still Rush                                  Dana Tai Soon Burgess
Lorena Cervantes

The top photograph, USA, is a section where all figures on sticks were made from recycled materials, in the USA, tree branches and plastic; in Brasilia (no trees) bamboo and rubber remnants (sea creatures) were developed by a Brazilian visual artist (no photos).  On the top of the tree limb or bamboo was a head created for the ritual of celebration by dancers.

What the press is saying

Several years ago in New Mexico, choreographer Maida Withers was developing a new "eco-active" dance by exploring the White Sand Dunes near the Mexico border. But to her dismay, she found that her access to the dunes was limited. each morning she was not permitted to enter the area until 9:30 am because the U.S. military was testing SKUD missiles that were later used against Iraq. Withers sandy endeavors may not have helped Kuwait, but she hopes they will help the environment. "The work I'm doing at these sites in a way is a statement of preservation-it's a commitment to the beauty of these wilderness sites." Kim Friedman