(1964 thru 1973)  Dance works were created by Maida Withers in Washington, DC prior to establishing Maida Withers Dance Construction Company  as a not-for-profit federally tax-exempt organization in 1974.  Performers included mature dancers from the Washington, DC community and MA and BA dance alumni or enrolled students at George Washington University where Maida was a Professor.  Maida has always considered herself as a dancer (tap, post modern, experimental, political, etc).  Regrettably, complete information (photos, programs, other) are not available at this time.

On occasion, Maida danced with others such as the Contemporary Dance Company of Washington, DC (see below) and with Erica Thimey (distinguished German Dance artist) with a dance studio in Georgetown, DC.

1974 –MWDCCo became an official group and began the process of applying for DC and federal 501-C-3 tax-exempt status as a non-profit cultural organization in Washington, DC.  See requested 501-C3 status document of confirmation,1976  in Company file.

1973- Passage Nine; Choreography by Maida Withers for 9 dancers doing nine phrases of movement to music for nine horns by Riegger and Davies; Premiere: Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC.  Dancers include: Brook Andrews; John Bailey; Photo: Carole Drake; Michael Kasper; Liz Lerman;  Quincy Northrup; Lynda Spikell; Betty Tittsworth;  Emily Waddams; ; Bill Hollingsworth; Music:  Davies / Riegger ;  Premiere, Lisner Auditorium.  (Some notes for the choreography are in MWDCCo files.)

1972 – Mass – A Fifth Generation Radiator Brought to Us on the Sabbath – A dance opera.  Choreography:  Maida Withers;  Original Music, performed live:  John Driscoll; Dance Soloist, Sharron Beckenheimer (Rose); Premiere, Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre, Washington, DC;

1971 – Laser I (Duet) First laser collaboration of Maida Withers with Rockne Krebs; Laser pioneer artist internationally; Michael Killgore; Lynda Spikell (later Brook Andrews and Lynd); Music:  Harrison (Beatles); Laser Installation – Rockne Krebs, first artist to create with laser light; Premiere:  Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre

1971 – Take Off; Airport Radio Tower Sound Score; choreographed by Withers for six DC women dancers; Premiere, Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC.  Dancers:  Carolyn Tate; Rosemary Wells, Shelley Chaffin, Susan Eidson; others.

l970 – Suite Six:  Near Miss, Ties That Bind, Here, There, Somewhere; Tic Tac Toe; Square in the Round, Balloons to you Too!   Dancers:  1 man, 5 women; Music:  Ramsey Lewis Trio / Badings / Gaburo / Dockstader / Partch; The freshness and whimsy of dance.  Premiere: Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre, Washington, DC.

1970 – Maneuvers – 25 minute dance for 12 dance workshop dancers.  A political statement of mass movement and arrest. Maida Withers with inspiration from watching Yvonne Rainer, noted historic figure in establishing what became regarded as the “post modern” genre.  Yvonne was the second GW Guest artist/faculty for the historic three-week GW summer dance workshops that Withers and Elizabeth Burtner initiated and, then, continued for 15 summers.   Maida was also teaching in the workshop and directing a final dance concert  that presented choreography in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre as part of the Summer Dance Workshop.

1969 – Invisible Dance – 18 hours of In visible dance with 15 minutes of Visible DanceDancing in such a way that you would generally not be perceived as dancing. Maida invited dancers to participate with her in public places – parks, public parks, parks with public water fountains, other. 1969 – 18 Hours of Invisible Dance with 15 minutes of Visible Dance ; 2 dancers; performance at the University of Maryland. ? Unknown choreographer?  Maida Withers?

1968-69 – Psychedelic Dance.  Oil was mixed in water and food coloring in a clear glass bowl. Dancers wore white leotards and tights.  An overheard projector was used to project the curious and interesting shapes created by the mix of water, food coloring, and oil.  This dance was invited to be on Channel 4, NBC-TV.  However when we arrived at the television station, the production staff insisted on manipulating the clear glass bowl holding the oil/water. Sadly, they did not have the skill of the practiced artist.  The TV station refused to let us manipulate the projected images because dancers were NOT TV union members.  The program went on with the stage hand manipulating the oil/water/color art work.
(This was a very controversial time.  Locate and review interesting notes, on file, about violence in America, the Kennedy family, race, what is dance when it is NOT ballet or MODERN DANCE?)

1969 – Malaise: A pervasive vulgarity: (A pervasive vulgarity destroys the soul of mankind)  20 minute work….Directed  by Withers for 2 men 4 women.  Premiere: Music: Dixon; performance at Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC (trio photo).Jim Bunting, Julie Hart, Jeanne Jones ? others….find program????

1968 – Media Message – Withers tribute to the genius writings of the author, Marshall McLuhan of Media Message. Withers 30-minute work employed bizarre and exaggerated organs (i.e. a large cardboard mouth (lips) props that moved up and out on hinges that was performed by two dancers, one on each end of the huge red lips that would open and close; a large ear that enveloped the dancers body; others – inspiration from Marshall McLuhan’s the Media is the Message.  Projections on stage were created by Psychedelic Power and Light Company;  Large puppet-like costumes and sets by Maida Withers (giant ear, movable mouth); Dancers:  one man, four women; Premiere: Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC (Jim Bunting; Julie Hart, others.)

1967 – Silence;  Premiere: 1 man, 5 women; a political commentary on the common condition of freedom of expression for women; Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC

1966 – Essays: Part I – Of the Mind; Part II – Of the Heart;
Six women dancers; Premiere:  Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC Music: Foss / Lieberson; (Jim Bunting; Julie Hart; others);

1964 – Contemporary Dance Company of Washington, DC was founded by local professional dancers in the spring of 1964 to perform concerts, lecture demonstrations, and improvisations with local dancers, musicians.  Dance artists included Kathy Mason, Sandra McLain, Naima Prevots and Maida Withers. Musicians included Joe Clark, Edward Cunningham, and Lyn G. McLain, musician/composer, husband of  dancer, Sandra McLain. Early work was improvisation of both music and dance.  Eventually the group included Jan Van Dyke, Carol Surman, Barbara Katz, Nancy Tartt and others.  Maida created a dance titled, MOD with colleagues, that took a humorous, yet surrealistic look at fashion and the changing of models to move rather than pose.

Additional Photos:
Passage Nine (locate)

Check out Early works (1966 to 1973)  ???? site works and stge works listed on one page/????
Julie Hart and Jim Bunting:  Malaise.

   Passage Nine:  Carole Drake and Michael Kasper  
Passage Nine: JoAnn Sellars and Carole Drake