2011 – Three sections of Collision Course – a.k.a. Pillow Talk (Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3) were performed at Artisphere, a museum and performance center in Arlington, Virginia, October 21, 2011. The Dome Theatre features a full size film curved screen (60′ high) with a curved stage for performing. For this presentation, a streaming process of exchange took place “live” with poet/philosopher, Alex Caldiero, in Salt Lake City who was stream of consciousness writing text about love. His text was projected as a backdrop on the Dome Theatre Screen while the dancers performed.
It was very exciting to have a very large sold out house in the amphitheatre for this humerous but daring subject of intimate, sometimes controlling, interaction of three people.
The three episodes are different but connected by the physical relationships implied by featuring the bed pillow. The larger stage production including visual projections and other interferences may have distracted from the intimacy of the three dancers without any other theatrical distractions. These episodes are from the early part of the evening length work and contain the most obvious and connected meaning.
Note: Film Short – site specific project not part of Collision Course a.k.a Pillow Talk choreography for evening length stage work. But it was part of the PILLOW CYCLE of dances. Maida was invited to present a “site work” for the Dance USA Annual Conference. Maida used this as a motivation to work with the Swedish Embassy to make a dance film short and also perform at the conference.
2011 – Film Short (7:24) This intriguing film features three estranged characters, Nate Bond, Anthony Gongora, Giselle Ruzany, body parts wrapped in large white bed pillows secured to body parts with packaging tape. These became body appendages – an armor of protection, a shield, an obstacle to overcome. Performers created an environment with associated memories, dreams, and nightmares – an odd yet delightful spectacle. This is real but more, it is surreal, at once bold and delicate, loving, diving and daring. Pillows thrown, relationships aught! What dreams of love do nightmares have? The performance site performance for Dance USA was 45 minutes in length and commissioned by Dance USA.
This short film, edited and designed by Anthony Gongora, was shot outdoors at the Embassy of Sweden (Swedish House) situated near the Potomac River in Georgetown, Washington, DC. Maida directed the development of the choreography for the large lawn (hill) down to the Potomac River, a sidewalk for pedestrians and bicyclists going to and from Georgetown. A three-camera shoot by Catherine Featherstone, Ayo Okunseinde, Maida Withers, documented the site-specific performance at the Dance USA 20th Annual Conference and a site rehearsal to create the sequence and movement for the film short, Collision Course – Film Short (7:24).
This film premiered at Artisphere Dome Theater for the presentation DANCE:FILMS October 21, 2011, Arlington, VA. The film was also shown at the Danzlenz, Habitat Center, New Delhi, India for Withers, on tour, showing of her dance films in New Delhi, February 2012. Maida was invited to perform a site work for the The project was conceived by Maida Withers and produced by Maida Withers with the Dance Construction Company.
Film production crew…..
Dance USA conference / reception.
Rehearsal
Anthony Gongora
Gisella Ruzany, Anthony Gongora, Nate Bond
Dance Construction Company rehearsing film choreography
Maida Withers Dance Construction Company
Dance USA annual conference
Opening reception at the House of Sweden
Washington DC
June 16, 2010
2011 – Film short featuring Maida Withers in a whimsical struggle for artistic enlightenment and risk taking with animation by Callison Slater. Shot in the Bella Faccia, Inc. television studio as part of Withers’ Dance Portraits on Screen Series.
The concept of the series is to give two different filmmakers the dance footage shot in green screen and have two portraits created on video that could then be exhibited in galleries and museums. Any Okunseinde and Callison Slater (18 year old) were the filmmakers selected for Maida I and Maida II.
Maida I and Maida II came about because at the end of a long day of shooting, the crew was exhausted but we had time left in the television studio where they was an incredible green screen. Maida tried climbing the curved wall and Maida I and Maida II are the results of her failed efforts.
2011 – The camera is turned on Maida Withers in this study of motion and the force of nature by Ayodamola (Ayo) Okunseinde.
Maida I and Maida II are part of Withers’ Dance Portraits on Screen Series developed by Where Where IS Productions!
The concept of the series is to give two different filmmakers the dance footage shot in green screen and have two portraits created on video that could then be exhibited in galleries and museums. Any Okunseinde and Anthony Gongora were the filmmakers selected for Maida I and Maida II.
The premiere was at DANCE:FILM showing in the expansive Dome Theatre at Artisphere, October 21, 2011, in Arlington, Virginia. Maida was also shown in Danzlenz, Habitat Center in New Delhi, India, February 2012.
Dance Portraits on Screen has been supported in part by Paul Falcon and Bella Faccia Inc. the premiere television studio in Washington, DC. A grant from Arlington County Cultural Affairs Office.
Bella Faccia Television Studio; Green Screen Wall
Maida Withers , Performer
Maida Withers; Ayo Okunseinde, Photographer
Maida Withers; Ayo Okunseinde, Photographer Maida Withers; Ayo Okunseinde, Photographer Maida Withers; Ayo Okunseinde, Photographer Maida Withers_Photo, Anisha Payne
Anthony Gongora, Video Camera; Photo by Anisha Payne Photo of Maida Withers; Anthony Gongora, Video Camera; Photo by Anisha Payne
Performers and Production Crew, Bella Faccia Studio, Washington, DC
A
Web Page: http://maidadance.com/works/Maida-I-Film/
2011 – TZVETA I: Dance Portraits on Screen Anthony Gongora creates a portrait of Tzveta Kassabova employing intense imagery to reveal the flow of a beautiful life, layered and complex and driven by movement through imagined spaces, saturated with color, motion and symbolism. The film cascades with shifting emotions and ephemeral views of a woman moving through her time on this Earth. TZVETA I is part of the Dance Portraits on Screen Series that includes TZVETA I and TZVETA II, MAIDA I and MAIDA II, and Collision Course a.k.a. Pillow Talk, Shot on location with green screen at Bella Faccia, Inc. Washington, DC
Tzveta I and Tzveta II were show at Artisphere, Arlington, VA as part of DANCE:FILMS, October 21, 2011 and DanzLenz Habitat Center showing in New Delhi, India, February 2012, others.
Footage for Dance Portraits on Screen was shot in the Bella Faccia Television Studio. Anthony Gongora was one of the filmmakers on camera and also edited. Tzveta Kassabova; Adam Peiperl, Photographer; Anthony Gongora, Video Tzveta Kassabova; Adam Peiperl, Photographer
Tzveta Kassabova; Anthony Gongora, Photograper/Media
MWDCCo performed an “pillow dance,” improvised for the Gala Opening of the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in their renovated gallery at 1632 U Street, NW, Washington, DC. Dancers Nate Bond, Tzveta Kassabova, Anthony Gongora, and Giselle Ruzany performed with Steve Hilmy, composer/musician. The video is a very short clip of a substantive dance performance of improvisation on partnering. The stage choreography, Collision Course, was not involved. Dancers relied on partnering with the dramatic collision and physical interactions and of helping during the “Healing Arts” event – not related to the “sexual” implications in other pillow projects, especially the work featuring Alex Caldiero. This evening length event was a highly charged emotional experience for all – dancers and audience. Steve Hilmy’s music was so impactful, as always.
Rehearsal Photos in Studio (No photos taken at the actual event at Healing Arts, Washington, DC Collage by Anthony Gongora:Tzveta Kassabova, Anthony Gongora, Giselle Ruzany, Maida Withers
Giselle Ruzany
Tzveta Kasabova and Anthony Gongora
Tzveta Kassabova and Anthony Gongora
Anthony Gongora, Maida Withers
2010 – Naked Truth, an exquisite, meticulously designed trio choreographed by Maida Withers with dancers Anthony Gongora, Tzveta Kassaabova, and Giselle Ruzany – three seasoned and deeply dedicated international dance artists. Original music is composed and performed live by Steve Hilmy. Naked Truth engages with projected kinetic cyber scenarios (bots for robots) by Tania Fraga, virtual/computer artist, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Ayodamola (Ayo) Okunseinde and Michael Kim were interacting in real time with the dancers through computer manipulation. Their work involved “real-time” manipulation of images by Fraga (see video). Naked Truth as a title was appropriate since the idea is “the naked truth about dance is that all dancing is about dancing and not about anything else!” Maida Withers
Tzveta Kassabova
T Giselle Ruzany and Tzveta Kassabova G
Tzveta Kassabova Giselle Ruzany Giselle Ruzany and Tzveta Kassabova
Photographs were taken during rehearsal in costumes for photos only.
Movements from Naked Truth were used for a dance shoot for Dance Portraits on Screen, a project of dance footage shot in a television studio that was then given to two different editors to create art videos for showing in a gallery as companion works.
Belle Faccia Television Studio, Washington, DC.
Tvzeta Kassabova photo from Naked Truth combined with Guardians Sculpture by Adam Peiperl
2010 – Under the direction of Maida Withers, dancers from the Utah Repertory Dance Theatre (2010) performed the opening ceremony at “The Friends” Angels Landing, dancing with hand-held chimes at the kick-off event for the 4th Amazing EarthFEST in Kanab, Utah, May 16-22, 2010. The program included the audience in a Sunday afternoon event that was situated in the beautiful natural setting of Angel’s Landing. The performance made connection with the animal cemeteries that exist at The Friends animal rescue with hundreds of chimes in the varied cemeteries.
Maida has served on the Board of Directors since the early days of the founding of the Amazing EarthFEST now it’s eighth year. Maida has performed on two occasions in the historic theatre in Kanab, Utah where Maida was born, the youngest child of Isabelle Martina Luke Rust and Woodruff Rust.
2010 – Hekuras – Spirits of the Rainforest was first created in São Paulo, Brazil (2002) with Brazilian dancers during a three-week residency. The version presented in Washington, DC maintained some of the thematic movement materials, the music and several of the virtual worlds from the residency in Brazil. This performance is a shortened version of aspects of the previous work. Hekuras – Spirits of the Rainforest (USA) was performed by six GW dancers for DanceWorks performance April 15, 2010 in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre in downtown Washington, DC. Hekuras – Spirits of the Rainforest was a commission to Tania Fraga to participate in an international congress in Africa. The Brazilian plan for participation was cancelled so the work remained as a work-in-progress, only.
GW’s Department of Theatre and Dance Presents “Spring DanceWorks,” April 15-17
Production Features Internationally Acclaimed Guest Artists, Faculty and Student Choreographers
GW’s Department of Theatre and Dance Presents “Spring DanceWorks,” April 15-17
Production Features Internationally Acclaimed Guest Artists, Faculty and Student Choreographers
2009 – a dance work that is part of the FareWell project, a series of several dances, examines the rising of our oceans and the pollution of the seas and waterways with plastic water bottles and other debris and chemicals. Dancers wear dresses created from hand-held plastic water bottles. These dresses create diverse sounds when moving the body. The costumes adorn the body – a fitting metaphor for human indulgences. Recorded sounds of whales provide a haunting environment for Rising Tide.
GW Dancers: Eva Dornstreich, Alex Lang, Brooke Miller, Lydia Mokdessi, Christine Moloney, Kristin Pepin, GW Dancers performing on DanceWorks, Spring 2009.
2009 FareWell – To the End of the World As We Know It OR Dancing Your Way to Paradise! was presented at Performatica: Foro Internacional de Danza Contemporanea y Artes del Movimiento, San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, 2009. During our residency Linda Lewett interviewed Maida Withers, choreography/dancer, Steve Hilmy, composer/musician, and Ayodamola Okunseinde, visual artist about the FareWell project from their perspective as a creative/performing artist. Text is by David McAleavey, poet , and he was not present.
FareWell toured extensively with all artists traveling and performing in Croatia, India, Mexico, Brazil, and in the USA. All artists were participating and interacting “live” during the performances.
2009 – FareWell – To the End of the World As We Know It OR Dancing Your Way to Paradise! was presented at Performatica: Foro Internacional de Danza Contemporanea y Artes del Movimiento, San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, 2009. During our residency Linda Lewett interviewed Maida Withers, choreography/dancer, Steve Hilmy, composer/musician, and Ayodamola Okunseinde, visual artist about the FareWell project from their perspective as a creative/performing artist. Text is by David McAleavey, poet , and he was not present.
Fare Well toured extensively with all artists traveling and performing in Croatia, India, Mexico, Brazil, and in the USA. All artists interviewed were participating and interacting “live” during the performances.
2009 – FareWell – Interview of Ayo Okunseinde about his work with Maida presented at Performatica: Foro Internacional de Danza Contemporanea y Artes del Movimiento, San Andres Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, 2009. During our residency Linda Lewett interviewed Maida Withers, choreography/dancer, Steve Hilmy, composer/musician, and Ayodamola Okunseinde, visual artist about the FareWell project from their perspective as a creative/performing artist. Text is by David McAleavey, poet , and he was not present.
FareWell toured extensive to places such as Croatia, India, Mexico, Brazil, and in the USA. The three artist-participants interacted in real-time for each performance.
2009 – A fascinating documentary on the creation of Dance of the Auroras – Fire in the Sky – a poetic odyssey through space from the Sun to Earth. Showcasing an evening-length performance of dance, music and virtual art, this international project reclaims the connections between science and art, technology and the natural world, drawing the audience into a ritual both ancient and new. Dance of the Auroras traces the research and development of the project through interviews, rehearsals, and performances in Finland, Norway, Russia, and the USA. Movies and images of the Sun and the Earth’s auroras from orbiting spacecraft and special ground-based cameras are featured along with original music performed live by the Global House Band, Norway. Dancers using the wireless mouse alter and manipulate, in real time, large-scale projected cyber worlds created by Tania Fraga, Brazil. Dance of the Auroras– Fire in the Sky premiered on Research Channel January 30, 2009.
Selected for showing: Research Channel, Seattle, Washington; III Sao Carlos Video Dance Festival, Sao Carlos, Brazil.
Documentary Footage Nordly’s Festivalen – Tromso, Norway, January 2001
Lisner Auditorium – Washington, DC, USA, February 2001
Dukabristov Theatre – St. Petersburg, Russia, May 2000
Dance Place – Washington, DC, USA, September 2000
On Location in Finland, Norway, Russia, and Alaska, USA, 2000
See “Dance of the Auroras – Fire in the Sky” Stage Work page for additional information and credits on performers, collaborators, scientists, and other production aspects.
2008 – 24-hour endurance event with Maida blindfolded and with ears plugged. In response to the ongoing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, Miguel Gutierrez, NYC, invited artists across the country to participate in Freedom of Information 2008. The directives were the same as for his original work performed December 31, 2001: 24-hour continuous movement improvisation, blindfolded and ears-plugged.
Performance: December 31st, with each artist performing in her/his respective State for 24 hours until January 1, 2009. Thirty-two artists from thirty-one states participated in this unprecedented, nation-wide event. Several artists streamed live broadcasts of their action onto the Internet. Maida represented artists in Washington, DC focusing her concerns/thoughts on displacement of people caused by war and conflict.
“What does a 72-year-old woman rolling around on the floor of a George Washington University dance studio blindfolded, with her ears plugged, have to do with the plight of Iraqi refugees, the bombing of Gaza and the scourge of war in general? (See below)
Anthony Gongora
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