MEDIATHEK

The hour-long survey of what’s variously called avant-garde, or experimental, or “new,” or post-Cunningham or post-Judson or post-modern dance, is a further installment in the PBS “Dance in America” series, which has finally taken the courageous step of examining the present-day “fringe” of the art and the developments that led to it. The choreographers whose work is sampled in “Beyond the Mainstream” — Trisha Brown, Laura Dean, Kei Takei, David Gordon, Steve Paxton and Yvonne Rainer — are very different artists but even superficially, there are artistic propensities they share that justify the group treatment. For one thing, they all eschew easy roads to popularity — the gimmickry and trendiness that might assure them swifter or broader recognition. For another, they are each concerned in their separate ways with extending the perimeter of dance art by redefining its basic principles.

Alan M. Kriegsman

Beyond the Mainstream, a legendary episode of PBS’s Great Performances: Dance in America series, features performances by members of the postmodern Judson era including Steve Paxton (founder/creator of Contact Improvisation), Lisa Nelson, Yvonne Rainer, Trisha Brown, and David Gordon, along with two artists caught up in the spiritual quest of the times, Laura Dean and Kei Takei. The documentary offers a rare view of Paxton, Nelson, and early contactors in action and includes Rainer’s iconic “Trio A” and Brown’s seminal company which in 1980 featured Lisa Kraus and Eva Karczag (who will appear together in the PDP Presents 2010 presentation of Red Thread).

// CREDITS //

CHOREOGRAPHERS: Trisha Brown, Laura Dean, David Gordon, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer, Kei Takei

CONTACT IMPROVISATION WITH: Steve Paxton, Danny Lepkoff, Nina Martin, Lisa Nelson, Nancy Stark Smith, Randy Warshaw

Trisha Brown Company

Excerpts from „LINE UP“ & „GLACIAL DECOY“

with: Trisha Brown, Russell Dumas, Elizabeth Garren, Eva Karczag, Lisa Kraus, Nina Lundborg, Stephen Petronio

TRIO A

with: Yvonne Rainer, Frank Conversano, Bart Cook, Sara Rudner

David Gordon / Pickup Company with Valda Setterfield

Excerpts from „CHAIR“ & “THE MATTER“

with: David Gordon, Christopher Banner, Lisa Clarke, Michael David, Ellen Vanschuylenburch, Susan Eschelbach, Ain Gordon, Lawrence William Greene, Gahan Haskins, Margaret Hoeffel, Irene Hultman, Jo Anne Koob, Joel Luecht, Keith Marshall, Colleen Mulvihill, Judy Nelson, Priscilla Newell, Gary Reigenborn, Marta Renzi, Valda Setterfield, Diana Shaffer, Derek Toohey

Kei Takei's Moving Earth

Excerpt from “LIGHT“

with: Kei Takei, Julia Balliett, Lori Boulanger, Kiken Chin, John de Marco, Richmond Johnstone, Karen Lashinsky, Elsi Miranda, Howard Vichinsky

Laura Dean Dancers and Musicans

Excerpt from “DANCE“

with: Laura Dean, Angela Caponigro, Paul Epstein, Peter Healey, John Proto, Patty Shenker, Perry Souchuk, David Yoken

CONSULTANTS: Carolyn Brown, Roger Copeland, Tobi Tobias 

DOCUMENTARY MATERIAL: 

• Robert Alexander
• Leo Castelli Gallery
• Experiments in art and Technology 
• 1st New York Theatre Rally
• Peter Miller
• Claes Oldenburg
• Carlota Schoolman
• Elaine Summers

STILL PHOTOGRAPHS: Peter Moore
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Barbara Greenberg
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER: Mona Kligman
LOCATION MANAGER: David J. R. Weber
STAGE MANAGER: Henry Z. Neimark
ENGINEER-IN-CHARGE: Tom Farmer
CAMERAMEN: MARC M. Bauman, Walter Edel, John Feher, Robert Long, Frank Polizzo
LIGHTING DIRECTOR: Robert Wright
AUDIO: Dale Vennes
POST PRODUCTION MIX: Bill Marino
MAKEUP: Irving Buchman, Jay Cannistrach, Rosemary Gardener, Margaret Sunshine, Judith Widener
WARDROBE: Mariana Torres
MUSIC SUPERVISOR: John Adams
GRAPHICS DESIGN: John Anthes
SERIES OPENING ANIMATION: Harry Chancey, Jr., John J. Godfrey

Portions of this program was taped at Larry Richardson Dance Foundation

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