(1981)  Evening of Poetry and Dance: Part II  Dance Project, Adams Morgan area, Washington, DC. Dance City was the second of two performances, absurd and outrageous social commentary events, performed by Dance Construction Company dancers with Washington, DC’s most controversial performance poet, Chasen Gaver.  Gaver performed his poems often accompanying himself using hand-held instruments (tambourine, others).  Performing in cabaret style, choreography was created and staged around Chasen as the center piece. Performances cautioned – ADULTS ONLY.  Dancers were beginning to use text during stage performance.

Maida’s recollection regarding Part II: ‘”A strong reference to religion and the church creating controversy over issues related to women, gay men, AIDS, others at the time.  ‘I remember dancing with a pillow tied to the rope around my waist…’ “

Maida Withers

What the press is saying

"A series of wacky vignettes, devised and performed jointly with poet Chasen Gaver, provided amusingly waspish. The four Dance Construction Company dancers, directed by Maida Withers, found consistently apt eccentricities of rhythm and shape to suit Gaver's kinky, ironically needling verse. The words and movement offered complementary angles of vision, rarely usurping each other's focus." Alan M. Kriegsman, Washington Post