Yesterdays Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses
(1974) November 1 – Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater, Premiere
(1975) June 3 – Summer Dance Workshop Concert, Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre
(2013) Nov 14, 15, 16  DanceWorks, Student Quartet, Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre

Nostalgia, absurdity, irreverence, innocence, trauma, extreme and not so extreme, expressive gestures and functional human gestures. Each dancer creates a character through self reflection revealed. In Yesterday’s Garlands, each dancer performs a short solo representing his/her character, that is, then, accompanied/joined by the group.

Concept / Director:  Maida Withers
Composer/Musician:  John Driscoll
Vocal Improvisations: Dee Kohana
Costumes:  Cast, 1974; Beth Burkhardt, 1975
Light Design: William (Bill) DeMull), 1974, 1975
Dancers:  Brook Andrews, John Bailey, JoAnn Sellars, Betty Tittsworth, Emily Waddams ?, Emily Berkshire,  Maida Withers

Costume Design, 1975: Beth Burkhardt, dancer and professional designer created costumes, specific “theatrical designs” based on the unique body and character (role) of each dancer:
*Brook Andrews – Charlie Chaplin baggy pants and tight white top with small bow
*John Bailey – Wrestler’s outfit with belt
*Maida Withers – Grey unitard with low plunging neckline and red flounce with low cut “V” at the breasts
*Emily Berkshire – Gold leotard (long legs), arms length black gloves
*JoAnn Sellers – Salmon colored full  knee-length pants to exaggerate hips with a small tight cameo maroon top

“Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses comes from a period of artists emerging from the tradition of modern dance and, then, creating a world of movement and choices by dancers that sometimes takes place during the performance.  Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses has distinctive dada-like characteristics.” Maida Withers

(1974) John Driscoll performed in a section of the audience with a table that included electronic instruments and drums and a collection of children’s toys that made sound, plastic tube (see photo below), whistle, a toy cow that moo’d, others.
Note:  Maida  Withers Dance Construction Company always collaborates with musicians who create new music and generally, perform live in concert. (1974 to today)

“Gestures” was the working title that became Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses.

John Driscoll, Musician/Composer: found objects, electronics, drums
John Driscoll, Musician/Composer:  plastic tube (horn)

John Bailey, Male/Female Undress Duet on stools

John Bailey, Undress Duet
John Bailey, solo
Brook Andrews, Liz Lerman, John Bailey

Liz Lerman (back), JoAnn Sellars, Brook Andrews

Emily Burken, floor, John Bailey, Maida Withers, Brook Andrews
John Driscoll, Composer / Musician 
L
John Driscoll: Composer/Musician performs with saw as musical instrument

Liz Lerman, Brook Andrews

(1975)  Costumes by Beth Burkhardt, Designer – character – exaggerating one aspect of the performers body

Maida Withers
Maida Withers, John Bailey (behind), Brook Andrews

1984  (dates?)  Put on the Music, Let’s Dance  REMOVE????
Reconstruction in building K in preparation for a lecture demonstration. Dancers included: Brook Andrews, Lilian Fortna, Larry Graves, Susan Short, Stephanie Simmons. (See review below). I think this must be another dance…Laser Dance?

(2013) Nov 14, 15, 16 Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses
15:00 minute excerpt from the premiere of the original evening-length production  (1974) November 1 – Premiere, Maida Withers and the Dance Construction Company in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater.
(2013) Production: Choreographer/Director, Maida Withers; Assistant Stage Manager, Angela Mariana Schopke; Costume Designer: Reema Al-Bawardy; Light Design: Felipe Oyarzun; Music: John Driscoll; Vocals, Maxwell Deem. 

Video:  https://maidadance.com/works/yesterdays-garlands-and-yesterdays-kisses-2013/

Maida Withers, choreographer, reconstruction for the GWU Fall DanceWorks (2013), after 30 years since the original performance.  Angela Schopke, GW senior dance student and Assistant Stage Manager,  assisted Withers with the reconstruction process.

A 15 minute segment of Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses (Quartet) was performed for GW’s 2013 Fall  DanceWorks Concert in Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre. John Driscoll, composer/musician for the original production with Dance Construction Company, performed “live” with the student production for the first time since the work premiered November 1, 1974.  Extreme vocals were provided by GW student, Maxwell Deem.  GW Dancers:  Ian Cecceralli (original solo by John Bailey), Ben Sanders (original solo by Brook Andrews),  Nicole Calameta (original solo by Maida Withers), Catherine McCormack (original solo by Liz Lerman), Rebecca Melvin (original solo by JoAnne Sellars).

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GW students performed a version of Yesterday’s Garlands and Yesterday’s Kisses for the Dance Construction Company 40th Anniversary celebration at Blind Whino MASQUERAD BALL, Washington, DC.

What the press is saying

"Yesterday's Garlands and Yesterday's Kissed" (1974) relied on theatrical devices and campy humor, with a physically and emotionally frenetic duet for Miss Withers and Brook Andrews. The dramatic tableau dominated over movement in "Duet on Stools." Susan Jamieson and John Bailey stoof on isolated stools in lonbely spotlights and peeled off layers of clothing, accompanied by the suggestive dialogue of daytime soap opera." Julie Van Camp

"... high energy work with wit and vigor..." ?