(1975 – )
Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) was founded in 1975 by the art impresario Alice Denney, organizer of the legendary NOW FESTIVAL in 1966 in the skating rink facility in Washington, DC.  WPA was established as an artist run organization for visual and performing arts.

Artists, including Dance Construction Company dancers, joined in cleaning out the bird dung in a vacated building that was formerly a building of dentists offices located on the corner of 7th and D Streets NW, Washington, DC.  The legendary WPA was the first interdisciplinary organization to be funded in USA by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company, a not for profit federal cultural organization, was founded in Washington, DC in 1974.  Prior to that time Maida invited dancers, many MA dance students at GWU, to create and perform in her works  – a collective of artists performing on various sites and on stages, creating new choreography and improvisation projects.  Maida was a professor of dance at GWU starting in 1965.  Maida was an active associate with Washington Project for the Arts from the founding of that organization.  WPA was relocating in spaces in DC and MWDCCo joined in those projects as well.  Maida was program chair for WPA for eight years during the formative period with Alice Denny, founder.  Associating with WPA provided interaction with the BEST visual artists in DC including Rockne Krebs, the world’s first laser light artist. Some of the earliest “collaborations” were with WPA related artists – artists also interested in experimentation and freedom of expression.  Withers served on the Board of Directors for WPA for several of the founding years of the organization.

Maida Withers Dance Construction Company presented many events/performances in the large open performance space on the 3rd floor of the 7th and D Street building.  Maida served on the Board of Directors for WPA where artists collectively selected the exhibitions and performances.  WPA was important in the development of an interdisciplinary approach with the Dance Construction Company.

MWDCCo presented choreographed dances and evenings of experimentation and improvisation – introducing new approaches to integrating dance, visual art, and, original music performed live. Musicians were always visible and integrated into the performances.  The Company was important in the founding of experimentation, collaboration, improvisation, site work and other innovations by artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The Company was found dancing in unannounced and unexpected locations (i.e. an entire Sunday afternoon locating and performing, unannounced, in large public fountains in Washington, DC, for example).   The Company was rehearsing three times a week and presenting performances every six weeks.  It was, truly,  an astonishing and productive period.  No HOLDS barred with the dancers.  It was a rich and creative period for these unusual artists who came together following their MA studies in Dance ith Maida at George Washington University. WPA was the avenue for many artists to express their freedom of thought and break new ground in the art form they represented.  Collaboration flourished.

Maida Withers – a cabaret inspired performance.

John Bailey, dancer, with Steve Bloom, composer and musician, 3rd floor space – former opera house.

John Bailey, Co-Founder of MWDCCo, active visual artist
Washington Project for the Arts, Building Under Renovation
Maida Withers, John Bailey, Brook Andrews, Beth Burkhardt (dancer & costume designer) / event of black/white/and red!

John Bailey with Brook Andrews, Maida Withers reclining

John Bailey and Maida Withers

Maida Withers, Beth Burkhardt, John Bailey

Maida Withers