Dana Tai Soon Burgess

Messenger Eagle

Dana Tai Soon Burgess, dancer, performed with Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company in Dance for the Earth, an evening-length performance that included Sky Cloud, Prologue, Messenger Eagle, Still Rush, Rolling Thunder “Transformation.”   Dance for the Earth premiered at Thomas Jefferson Community Theater in Arlington, Virginia, February 7 & 8, 1992.

Dana traveled with Maida Withers Dance Construction Company as part of an International group, 100 Artists for Ecology,  to participate in  a 5-week residency in Brazil that featured performances related to the world’s first Earth Summit, Eco ’92 in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, Brazil.  Dana performed Rolling Thunder with MWDCCO dancers from the USA and Brazilian dancers, on a stage on the beach sponsored by the City of Rio de Janeiro.  In Brazil, Dana performed in Stone Garden a new site specific work conceived and directed by Maida Withers for three Dance Construction Company  dancers and 2 Brazilian dancers.  This dramatic work with dancers crawling on rugged rocks at dusk was commissioned by Museao de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro.

Dancers with MWDCCo participated in dance improvisation projects, education in public schools, protests on the beach,  and other opportunities related to Eco ’92.   Of special interest were the improvisations and creations of music and dance on Sugarloaf Mountain.

In addition to Dance for the Earth in Washington, DC, Dana performed, Still Rush, a fast-passed dance based on “immigrants and migration,” a personal story created by Maida for MWDCCo.

Dana established Dance Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company in 1992 in Washington, DC.

Dana’s Bio for Earth Summit ’92:  Dana Tai Soon Burgess holds a BA from the University of New Mexico where he was on full scholarship to major in Dance with a minor in Asian Studies.  Burgess trained with Tim Wingerd, Bill Evans and Judith Chazin-Bennahum, and Maida Withers. Burgess has danced principal roles for Eric Hampton Dance, Sharon Syrrick’s Full Circle, DC Contemporary Dance Theatre, Bill Evans/UNM Repertory and Tim Winegard and Company.  Currently Burgess is an MFA Fellow at the George Washington University where he teaches modern dance and ballet.  Burgess is a principal dncer with Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Sky Cloud

Collaborations