2004 – For TOUCH 3 (July 11 to 16) International Modern Dance Festival in Arkhangelsk, Russia, Produced and Directed by Nikolais Shchetnev.  We were honored to be  part of this  exciting and diverse professional festival. MWDCCo  directed an original site-specific work, In Grass Tall, that took place across the street from Merci Café (elevated space) in tall grass.  Other projects were presented in downtown Arkhangelsk, Russia – an amazing favorite city of Withers – an “older” city with a strong religious and political history (see below).   Performers for In Grass Tall included Maida Withers, Anthony Gongora, dancers; Linda Lewett, filmmaker, Audrey Chen, vocalist/cellist,  Other participants in the Festival included a duet company from Finland, Kannon Dance Company from St. Petersburg, and TOUCH 3 workshop students (3). A section of  In Tall Grass, with accompanying interviews, was featured on Arkhangelsk television and reported in two daily newspapers.  Many other works were performed near or at the restaurant.

More information and photos could be added – contact Nikolais.

See https://maidadance.com/works/in-tallgrass/Maida Withers and Nikolais Schetenev, Founder TOUCH Festival, Dancer/Choreographer

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Arkhangelsk^[a] (Russian: Архангельск, pronounced [ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk]) is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near its mouth into the White Sea. The city spreads for over 40 kilometres (25 mi) along the banks of the river and numerous islands of its delta. Arkhangelsk was the chief seaport of medieval and early modern Russia until 1703, when it was replaced by the newly founded Saint Petersburg.