(1992 ) Messenger Eagle is a male solo in Dance for the Earth, an evening of dances celebrating the Earth,  that pays homage to the important American symbol, the eagle.   In America, and especially with Native Americans, and other cultures as well, the Eagle is admired and held in great reverence.  When working on the red earth sites in the Southwestern United States for six years with the Utah project, it was always a glorious moment when an Eagle soared above with its great power, strength, and beauty.

Maida became familiar with the Eagle when she was a young child living in Kanab, Utah. The red earth buttes surrounding Kanab, were a convenient and enticing place for Eagles to safely view the world below.

“For the performance, Messenger Eagle, the Eagle is revered as a messenger to and from the Gods.  If you are in communication with the Eagle you may receive a message from the Gods or, perhaps, send a message to the Gods.” Maida Withers

  Dana Tai Soon Burgess
Messenger Eagle premiered at Thomas Jefferson stage in Arlington, Virginia, February 7 and 8, 1992, as a central part of the evening-length program, Dance for the Earth created by Maida with the Dance Construction Company.  Messenger Eagle was part of MWDCCo performance in Brasilia, Brazil, National Theatre (May 1992), Opening Gala for OMAME Projeto, and in Rio de Janeiro (June 1992) for the United Nation’s Earth Summit, Eco ’92.   There is no video documentation of the performance in the National Theater in Brasilia.

Messenger Eagle begins as a solo and, then, continues into Rolling Thunder, a transformation section with the Company in Dance for the Earth.  Dana Tai Soon Burgess represented the Eagle which defines his important role as a solo figure.  As Eagle, he then becomes a central character in the large group finale, Rolling Thunder, in choreography with dancers wearing, manipulating, pounding when performing with beautiful silver aluminum tubes.  The silver tubes were discovered (stored) in the attic of the home of Hilda Thorpe,*  admired female sculptor and painter, an important collaborator on Dance for the Earth. The attic was the place for safe keeping of Hilda Thorpe’s objects of art.  Hilda was anxious for us to look through her collection and was anxious for us to select items to use in performance. Thorpe made sculpture from materials such as sheet metal, gauze, balsa wood and handmade paper painted with shimmering fields of color. Thorpe carried on the proud tradition of the Washington Color School by painting broad areas flooded in color. Many artists at that time were using building materials related to architecture and function in buildings to create art.

The aluminum tubes were exceptional objects, instruments, partners for the work titled Rolling Thunder. Silver aluminum tubes, were not only beautiful objects on stage, but had various characteristics and potentials as partnering with dancers:  dancers put their heads into the tube, sang and made sounds.  Silver tubes became an eloquent head dress; when tubes were rolled and played (pounded) they created a threatening sound and sound became  thunderous.  Tubes, when played, became the voice of a drum, and in unison, like rolling thunder.

*Thorpe made sculpture from materials such as sheet metal, gauze, balsa wood and handmade paper painted with shimmering fields of color. Thorpe carried on the proud tradition of the Washington Color School by painting broad areas flooded in color.

National Theatre, Brasilia, Brazil

Messenger Eagle – Transformation/Rolling Thunder was performed by Maida Withers Dance Construction Company dancers along with Brazilian dancers for the performance in Brasilia, Brazil, May, date TBD, 1992 for the opening ceremony of OMAME Projeto, in the eloquent National Theatre.  OMAMA Projeto was an organization partner that connected international artist  to be part of cultural events during the United Nation’s Earth Summit (Eco’92), June 3 to 14, 1992, programming in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess, “Messenger Eagle” soloist, with four Maida Withers Dance Construction Company dancers and five Brasilian dancers, performed Rolling Thunder, on a large stage on la Playa da Flemengo beach stage in Rio de Janeiro as part of the United Nation’s Earth Summit, June 1992.

Artists from Brazil and around the world entertained hundreds to astonishing street and stage events.  It was our understanding that the stage events were sponsored by the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro.