In

Summer of 1996, Maida Withers  and the Dance Construction Company, Washington, DC,  collaborated with filmmaker, James Byrne, New York City,  during a six-week residency in southeastern Utah creating and filming dance on unique, challenging land sites.  Dancers improvised and performed choreography in remote locations under the extreme heat from the desert Sun, drawing on the site location to develop content, take risks – pushing to the body’s limits. Following the summer residency, during a six year period, Maida Withers, dancer, and Verabel Call Cluff, Utah filmmaker, returned to Utah to continue filming and engaging with research at locations in southeastern Utah and related Four Corners states.  Sacred lands, drawings and carvings once inhabited by indigenous peoples, were respected and honored at all times.

Utah Project:
“This work is the result of my fascination with the land of Utah, its ancient rock art and ancient peoples, my people., and our future…Each day we danced on the land, we understood better how to join with the demanding forces of nature… In time, we joined in the song of the universe, a song of existence, of mourning, of healing, a song of wildness.” (Maida Withers)

Stage Work:  Utah * Spirit Place * Spirit Planet * Tukuhnikivatz, a multi-dimensional stage work, commissioned by Lincoln Center, premiered in New York City, Great Dance in the Bandshell, August 20, 1996.

Film/Installation:  Tukuhnikivatz – one hour video, featuring  James Byrne and Verabel Call Cluff video footage shot at land sites in Utah and the Four Corners area.
Tukuhnikivatz (Tukuhni-kivatz) – Ute Nation name for a perfectly pointed sacred mountain in southeastern Utah, a “future gathering place of ancients at end time.”

(1996) Tukuhnikivatz (01:03:45) Editor: Stefani Altomare-Sese
Film of dancers performing on extreme land sites in southeastern Utah, footage shot by James Byrne, combined with other footage relevant for the evening-length work Utah – Spirit Place – Spirit Planet – Tukuhnikivatz.  This stunning film installation was projected on six large white canvas screens shaped like buttes, buttes on wheels, moved by dancers on stage during the performance. Utah * Spirit Place * Spirit Planet * Tukuhnikivatz  tells a visual story of creation, life, and primal rituals on planet earth – a large scale production of dance, live music, and film. Spectacular earth slides by noted Utah earth photographer, Bruce Hucko, were projected continuously on the 60 foot high bandshell at Lincoln Center.  The evening was a multi-media ritual rooted in history, drama, dance, and visual imagery.

Original Video: James Byrne, NYC
Video:  https://vimeo.com/7983497 (01:03:45)

Below:  Stefani Altomare-Sese (2:00 minute trailer – excerpts from video above)

Below: Editor – Stefani Altomare-Sese
Tukuhnkivatz:  FILM (39:58) 1996 Dancers on Utah landsites coupled with images from the projection film for the stage work, Utah * Spirit Place * Spirit Planet * Tukuhnikivatz – images of science, mythology and dance.”
Original Video: James Byrne, NYC
https://vimeo.com/468693246

Below: Editor – Jamille Wallick
Tukuhnikivatz: FILM (12:46)  Excerpts from the original film Tukuhnikivatz.- dancers on Utah landsites coupled with images from projection film for the live performance, Utah * Spirit Place * Spirit Planet * Tukuhnikivatz and images of science and mythology.Original Original Video: James Byrne, NYC
https://vimeo.com/464010414

Below: French Editor – Ludovic Jolivet. (2011)
TUK (Tukuhnikivatz): FILM (18:04) Extraordinary journey of six souls on exotic earth sites in remote Utah lands (split screens).  French Editor: Ludovic Jolivet. (2011)
Original Video: James Byrne, NYC
https://vimeo.com/31371574

Below: Concept / Editor – Maida Withers 
TUK I: FILM  Short (02:29) Roadside Rock – dancers inhabit red earth in a simple primal ritual in Utah wilderness near the famous  twin “BEARS EARS mountains.” This sacred area is often threatened with transition to drilling
https://vimeo.com/99726485

TUK: FILM (00:43)  Unfinished trailer……dancers on Utah exotic red earth landsites.
https://vimeo.com/29167230

Note:  MRW – consider removing the following from this page.

LINCOLN CENTER, NEW YORK CITY, PREMIERE:
Utah * Spirit Place * Spirit Planet * Tukuhnikivatz  (01:01:39) Documentary video of the premier of the evening-length multimedia performance of dance on stage with projections of video and earth slides on the 60′ bandshell, at Lincoln Center premiere.
https://vimeo.com/7983497/

Move to Video for Utah performance:
Utah*Spirit Place*Spirit Planet*Tukuhnikivatz  (TRAILER 02:29) Excerpts from Lincoln Center Premiere documentary video of dance with projections from 2nd half of the performance.
https://vimeo.com/7806449/

AMAZING EARTHFEST, Kanab, Utah – Presentation
Utah*Spirit Place*Spirit Planet*Tukuhnikivatz  Presentation by Maida Withers for the 2020 Amazing Earth Fest in Kanab Utah, Maida’s birthplace.  Edit from https://vimeo.com/463900011/