(1981) May 4 to May 22: Maida Withers, choreographer, and John Driscoll, composer/performer began a 3-week guest artist residency at the Akademia der Kunst, West Berlin, Germany to create a new evening-length work for performance in the historic Akademie der Künste Museum. On May 22, 1981, Stall., an evening-length collaborative performance of dance, sound sculpture, and music premiered. This unusual work was an important performance at the Festival of Pantomine, Music, Dance, and Theater at the Akademie der Künste, West Berlin, Germany. Director, Nele Herling, played a significant role in establishing the residency and the resulting performance. Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company, John Driscoll, and Phil Edelstein were honored to associated with the Akademie.
Stall. an evening length collaborative performance of dance, sound sculpture, and music featured the following artists:
– John Driscoll, composer/sculptor, rotating loudspeaker and sound installation
– Phil Edelstein, rotating loudspeaker animation
– Maida Withers, choreographer
– Maida Withers Dance Construction Company, dancers
(1981) October 20, Washington, DC: The American Premier of Stall. John Driscoll & Phil Edelstein with Maida Withers and Maida Withers Dance Construction Company in the historic Pension Building (later called National Building Museum) in downtown Washington, DC as part of the Washington Performing Arts Society for the Avant Garde Festival. The company was the only DC organization included in this national festival.
Washington, DC, American Premiere / Photo by Dennis Deloria
The performance is a result of a dialogue between art and science, and presents an innovative work integrating art, music, dance, and electronic technology. 65 minute continuous performance.
Music / Rotating Loudspeaker:
Designed by John Driscoll, the rotating loudspeaker, suspended above the dancers at center stage, creates dynamic movement pattern which are sympathetic to the circular structure and distinctive motion of the dancers. Phil Edelstein works closely with John through animation. The speakers are one unit that rotates both left and right at different speeds, stopping when directed, during Stall., to engage with loudspeakers positioned in four corners of the large building space (USA). Midway through the performance, dancers stop dancing (exit) and the rotating loudspeakers perform (see performance video 19:55 to 26:02).
Rotating Loudspeaker by John Driscoll
The instrumental loudspeaker disperses sound into the space and takes advantage of the resonant and reflective characteristics of the performance space. Sound images, created by the interaction of the space and the rotating loudspeaker, combine with music for four peripheral speakers making an acoustical phenomena which could be described as a sonic architecture. The preferred space is an open architectural space where the audience surrounds the dance space and is located between the rotating loudspeaker and the peripheral sound field.
Choreography is built in a circular structure requiring extreme stamina since the choreography is built on a continuous running base. Stall., danced by Francis Babb, Dale Crittenberger, Wendell Lockhart, Heather Tuck, and Maida Withers, in Washington, DC is strong with formal structure in the choreography.
Maida Withers and Brook Andrews, in rehearsal.
Stall. October 20, 1981, premiered in the United States in Washington, DC, in the historic Pension Building (National Register of Historic Places) that now is named National Building Museum. Stall. was part of the 9th Street Crossings Festival. The Pension Building/National Building Museum, is several stories high with an open interior space with balcony’s. The building actually occupies one city block. Consequently, this historic building has a powerful presence. Washington Performing Arts Society, with Doug Wheeler, produced the USA premiere on October 20, 1981, and hosted a pre-concert dinner at the Pension Building for special guests and donors immediately before the live performance event.
National Endowment for the Arts (Interdisciplinary Arts) supported the creation of the rotating loudspeaker. Sadly, the stunning loudspeaker (art object) was destroyed in New York City, by water flooding the storage space, on Wall Street during the destructive Hurricane Sandy.
Choreography from Stall. was later presented June 16 – 18, 1982 in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre as part of the GW Summer Dance Workshop Performance using a neon sculpture on stage created by Margery Goldberg.n For this performance there was no rotating loudspeaker set.
CREDITS (American Premiere) Stall. an evening length collaborative performance of dance, sound sculpture, and music (1981) -9th Street Crossing Festival, Washington, DC
Maida Withers, choreography
John Driscoll, composer/sculptor, rotating loudspeaker installation concept and design
Phil Edelstein, rotating loudspeaker animation
Dance Construction Company dancers, Frances Babb, Dale Crittenberger, Heather Tuck, Maida Withers, Wendell Lockhart
Maida Withers, costumes
William (Bill) DeMull, light design
Michael Moser, videographer
Dennis Deloria, photographs
World Premiere: Festival of Pantomime, Music, Dance, and Theater; Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany, following a 3-week residency (May 22, 1981)
US premiere: Washington Performing Arts Society, 9th Street Crossings Festival, Pension Building (National Building Museum, designated a National Historic Landmark), Washington, DC (October 20, 1981).
AUDIO LINKS (John Driscoll, Composer):
Akademie der Kunste Audio Link, Berlin, Germany: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/khnc50m21zsxcbqz45185/AAuL9rDJm0COIHq8lKdJyJQ?rlkey=plugly6oufh6qvxv1eipof7re&dl=0
Pension Building (National Building Museum, later), Washington, DC: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8sw130qmht23eoa3p1658/AHyv7xezNGIJhNoGDOTtY30?rlkey=qgsl2gdypdiijk4fpjy4ty8m7&dl=0
Note: Pension Bldg audio recordings are on different dates. The recordings are in .wav format but can be convert to another format if needed.