Dance for the Earth

Original Performance on February 7, 1992

1992 – Title given to the evening-length performance that included the following six dances related to Maida’s Earth consciousness projects:
Sky Cloud (1992),
Prologue – Cowboys and Indian Play (1991),
Messenger Eagle (1992),
Still Rush (1991),
Rolling Thunder “Transformation” (1992).
Dance for the Earth was presented at Thomas Jefferson Community Theater in Arlington, Virginia, February 7 & 8, 1992 in preparation for MWDCCo participation in the United Nation’s Earth Summit (Eco ’92) in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rolling Thunder was recreated with MWDCCo dancers and dancers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for concert presentation in an outdoor stage performance sponsored by the City of Rio de Janeiro.

Please view on stage works under separate titles in the archives: Sky Cloud, Prologue, Messenger Eagle,  Spirit Figures, Still Rush, and Rolling Thunder “Transformation.”

What the press is saying

In order to choreograph her recent works, Withers spent days/weeks as a "landsite" - a cave, a rock, sand dunes. "I've developed an understanding of a landsite process here I go to the landsite and I work with the people who live there." she explains. Especially I'm interested in the indigenous people that live there and the history and mythology of that earth." Thus, Withers lives and sleeps outdoors, waking at sunrise in her chosen area of study (New Mexico, Utah, Arizona). That ay, she explains "the earth is the inspiration; it is also the process, it is also the subject." Kim Friedman