SILESIAN DANCE THEATRE / SLASKI TEATR TANCA
41-902 Bytom, ul. Zeromskiego

(1977) J(dates)  June 27, 28, 29 HALDA: A Mound of Waste  An evening-length site performance commissioned by Slaski Teatre Tanca for the 1997 – Fourth International Contemporary Dance Conference and Performance Festival in Bytom, Poland, June 27 – July 6, 1997. “It was an honor to be invited by Jacek Luminski, dancer, choreographer and manager of the Silesian Dance Theatre in Bytom, Poland, to teach and create work in Poland.” Maida Withers.

Maida, a guest artist for the Festival, was commissioned to create a new work, a site specific performance of dance and music, inspired by the spirit and legends of the region – an ecology of transformation. In Halda, the dancers move within boundaries of an island covered in grass. The dance technique and choreography stems from the improvisational movements of the dancers under Maida’s direction. a new dance work (site work) with four brilliant Polish female dancers.

Several dancers were associated with the Eksperymentalne Studio Tanca in Kracow, Poland. The work created by Maida with the dancers was inspired by myths related to the mines and the devastation from the mines to the local environment of the Silesian region in Poland due to pollution and damage to the earth by digging coal mines directly under the city of Bytom.  Many of the buildings showed street fractures/ large cracks and other alterations to the building above the mines. The four dancers engaged in mythologies related to four horses who were blind and living totally under the earth. The work was created to be performed out of door in three different cities. Performances were at dusk so often drivers of cars, where lighting was limited, face their cars toward the dance area and turned on car lights during the performance. This created an interesting environment.

The Fivenotten Group (visual artists) from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Poland created an installation of grass and a balanced pole (moving set) used by the dancers during the three performances in three cities in Poland. Dancers included Iwona Olszowska, Marta Pietruszka, Aneta Szydiak of Eksperymentalnego Studio Tanca EST – Krakow; and Agnicszka Jastrzewska of MDK. Bialystok, The Installation: created by The Fivenotten Group: Michal Ksiazok, Pawel Mendrck, Monika Starowica and Tomasz Wygrzywalski were students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Original music was created by and performed by Grzegorz Jedrzjowski for Halda. The group worked together very well to achieve a beautiful environment for the passionate performance.

Premiere performances took place in the evening at dusk in three cities as part of the 1997 International Dance Conference and Festival as follows:
(1) Bytom, Poland, Plac Kosciuszki, June 27, 1997
(2) Katowice, Poland, Plac Sejmu Slaskiego, June 28, 1997
(3) Krakow, Poland, Kazimierz, ul. Szeroka, June 29, 1997

 “It was a great honor for me to work with such talented artists in Poland…..such beautiful and gracious women dancers.”  Maida Withers

“Iwona Olszowsky continued working with Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company on Dance of the Auroras – Fire in the Sky in St. Petersburg, Russia, in Washington, DC and on tour in Russia, performing in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk. Maida continues her relationship with Iwona at this time.”

Maida was honored to work with Jacek Luminski, dancer, choreographer and manager of the Silesian Dance Theatre in Bytom, Poland. Presenting the work in three cities in Poland was, indeed, a great honor. Maida Rust Withers