(1994) – Stirrings, an eloquent dance created by Maida as a magical, stunning, multimedia solo for the noted Korean modern dancer, Je Young Kim. Stirrings premiered in Washington, DC, 1994, May Festival (date TBD).  The world premiere of Stirrings was in Munye Theater, May 3, 1994, as part of the 13th International Modern Dance Festival, Seoul, Korea.  The original work at Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater featured colorful large-scale polarized light sculpture (A Hole in the Sky) created by visual artist, Adam Peiperl. The video was projected in large scale into the stage space to partner with the dancer.  The eloquent costume, conceived by Maida Withers, was created by Bill Pucilowsky, distinctive costume designer for theater and dance, Washington, DC.  Regrettably, due to the low lighting required for the delicate light sculptures to be seen, the dramatic video projection of the dancer is not fully visible on the documentary video. The performance of Stirrings by Je Young Kim in Seoul, Korea, May 3, 1994, featured live music by contemporary Korean saxophone artist, Kang Tae Hwan (view performance above).  Program note:  “Kim dances fleeting interworlds in shimmering, enfolding light sculptures by Adam Peiperl.”

(1997) April 24-26 – Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre, George Washington University Spring Dance Concert.  GW dancers, Giselle Ruzany and Sarah Slifer, performed a duet version of the solo, Stirrings, in the stunning projected kinetic sculpture images by Adam Peiperl, visual artist.   Music was performed live by Composer/Flutist, Jonathan Modell.  GWU Spring Dance Concert Program is included in the archives file.
Program note:  “Created as a solo for Guest Artist Je Young Kim, premiered in Seoul, Korea in 1994. Presented, here, as a duet, mirror image form, with dancers in conversation with the moving sculpture images.”

(1997) July 7 and 8 – Stirrings was performed as a duet by Dance Construction Company dancers, Sarah Slifer and Giselle Ruzany in Paris, France at Theatro Dunois. The Stirrings solo was re-staged effectively as a duet by having one dancer facing downstage and one facing upstage.  The Dance Construction Company international tour was organized and curated by Cyrus Khambata, a DC artist and associate curator with Maida for the  DC International Improvisation Plus+ Festival.

Note:  The Paris concert include:  Cyrus Khambata PHFFFT! Dance Theatre Company (New York) performing Modern Barbarism (40 minutes) and Maida Withers performing the solo, In Winds of Sand or Ancient Lands/Ancient Peoples (TBD)

(1997) Sarah and Giselle also performed an extended, spontaneous, dance improvisation on the large public plaza of the Louvre, Paris, France. (see photo)

(1998) Stirrings premiered as a solo by Sarah Slifer, Dance Construction Company, May 1 & 2, 1998 at the performance featuring the Dance Construction Company and dancers from Venezuela.  Slifer performed the solo in the sculpture projections by Adam Peiperl. The concert was titled: Washington DC – Venezuela, Dance Works by International Women, performed at Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater, Washington, DC. New music for Stirrings was created and performed live by Rob Orwin using a wind synthesizer.

(1999) November 15 and 16 – Sarah Slifer performed Stirrings at the International Exchange Modern Dance Festival in Seoul, Korea at Hoam Art Hall (Nov 15) and Taejon Cultural Center (Nov 16), Taejon, Korea.

Polarized Light Sculpture (Projection) by Adam Peiperl, Visual Artist,  Washington, DC

Je Young Kim, extraordinary Korean dancer

Je Young Kim-  Noted Korean Contemporary Dancer (above and below)


Video:  https://vimeo.com/521923302/
Adam Peiperl, Polarized Light Sculpture;  Je Young Kim, Dancer

Top above: Maida Withers, Giselle Ruzany, Sarah Slifer, Cyrus Khambata, dancers, in the dressing room – 1997 performance, Paris, France

Bottom above: 1997-  Dance Construction Company dancers, Giselle Ruzany and Sarah Slifer, improvise, Plaza – Louvre, Paris, France