(1992) February 7 and 8  Dance for the Earth, Thomas Jefferson Community Theater, Arlington, Virginia,   (Six dances including Rolling Thunder)
Program:  Intricately weaves rich and layered movement materials in a ritualistic contemporary dance narrative, a new world myth.  The gift, the knowledge of the earth, is brought forth. Those who hear the message change – transforming themselves with the Earth.”  Maida Withers

USA Dance Program:  Sky Cloud, Messenger Eagle, Spirit Figures, Still Rush, and Rolling Thunder / Transformation (February 7 & 8, 1992, Thomas Jefferson Community Theater, Arlington, Virginia)
Dance for the Earth VIDEO: Entire evening – Dance for the Earth: https://vimeo.com/100908352; Rolling Thunder: (Begin 28:34 to 1:06:30) Video: Rolling Thunder, only, USA:  https://vimeo.com/101003244  (14:18) – see above.

(1992) May 3 to June 14  United Nation’s Earth Summit (Eco ’92) 
MWCCCo was in Brazil with 100 international artists for the earth (OMAME Projeto) as participants in education and performance activities in Brasilia, May 3 to June 2 (?), 1992 (National Theatre performance) and Rio de Janeiro, June 3 to 14, artist participants in this historic world summit: United Nation’s Earth Summit (Eco ’92).

Dance for the Earth
Rolling Thunder Performance in Brasilia, Brazil
May 12: OMAME Projeto opening gala
National Theatre
9:00 pm

United Nations Earth Summit (Eco ’92)
Rolling Thunder/Transformation Performance
Playa da Flemengo Beach Stage
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
June 13 or 14, 1992

Rolling Thunder, la Playa da Flemengo beach stage, international celebration with performances around the globe (on and off stage). MWDCCo American dancers: Dana Tai Soon Burgess, Stacy Palatt, Sandra Kammann, Janine Ploetz and 5 Brazilian dancers (dancers, TBD). View excerpts – Rolling Thunder / Transformatio, La Playa do Flemengo beach stage performance: https://vimeo.com/102322719

*For more information about OMAME Projeto, please visit https://maidadance.com/works/united-nations-earth-summit-eco-92/.

Rolling Thunder / Transformation broadcasts the coming consciousness of planet earth.  Rolling Thunder features beautiful aluminum (silver) tubes (objects of art discovered by Maida during a birthday celebration for Hilda Thorpe, noted American female sculptor and visual artist.  Thorpe encouraged us to spend time looking for usable artifacts in her attic (storage space for Hilda’s art objects) in Thorpe’s studio in Old Town Alexandria.  Original tubes were offered to MWDCCo for our use in the Rolling Thunder project. Hilda had used similar aluminum tubes and objects related to inner workings of architecture as part of her visual art work.  Exposure of architectural and functual objects were commonly used and included by artists of her generation in the USA. Hilda was associated with the highly recognized “color school” in Washington, DC.

It was necessary in Brazil to purchase and cut aluminum pipes to specifications – the metal tubes manipulated and worn in Rolling Thunder / Transformation.  Dancers carried the tubes, wore them as a head dress, played and pounded the metal as a drum and rolled them to create a thunderous sound, a warning as part of the choreography.

Note:  MWDCCo earliest contact for participation in Eco ’92 was through Marilyn Wood, Celebration Artist, USA. We are grateful to Marilyn for introducing us to the opportunity to be participants in Eco ’92 as part of the international OMAME projeto.

Photo Below:  USA, Messenger Eagle (male solo, opening);  Rolling Thunder (closing)Above:  Dana Tai Soon Burgess, solo figure, Messenger Eagle
Below:  American and Brazilian Dancers, Rolling Thunder
Above: Rolling Thunder, Rio de Janeiro, United Nation’s Eco ’92 Events
Above: Rolling Thunder (USA and Brazil cast) La Playa da Flemengo Beach Stage
Above:  Final 3 photos: MWDCCO                Bottom Photo – Messenger Eagle
Dance for the Earth, USA,                                Dana Tai Soon Burgess, soloist
Top Photo:  Spirit Figures
Bottom Photo – left:  Still Rush
Lorena Cervantes, dancer

In the USA, Spirit Figures “props” were constructed from tree branches and plastic; in Brasilia (no trees) bamboo and rubber remnants (sea creatures) were developed by a Brazilian visual artist, Spirit Figures, (no photos).  On the top of the tree limb or bamboo was a head created with recycled materials for the ritual of celebration by dancers – “Totems ritual for the earth.”

What the press is saying

Several years ago in New Mexico, choreographer Maida Withers was developing a new "eco-active" dance by exploring the White Sand Dunes near the Mexico border. But to her dismay, she found that her access to the dunes was limited. each morning she was not permitted to enter the area until 9:30 am because the U.S. military was testing SKUD missiles that were later used against Iraq. Withers sandy endeavors may not have helped Kuwait, but she hopes they will help the environment. "The work I'm doing at these sites in a way is a statement of preservation-it's a commitment to the beauty of these wilderness sites." Kim Friedman