Title: Songs of Change: Lincoln Center Touring Program
Dance titles within this program: Who’ll be a Witness and Simple Gifts
Premiere: 1978, NYC public schools
Company: Dances/Janet Soares for the Lincoln Center Touring Program
Dancers: Pierre Barreau, Carol Hess, Elizabeth Sung, Jay Todd
Description:
This was a commission from Dances/Janet Soares for the creation of a dance choreographed to two songs: “Who’ll Be a Witness, Medley” and “Simple Gifts.” “Who’ll Be a Witness, Medley” included lyrics about Ezekiel, Moses, and David. The songs were performed live as part of a touring program for public school children produced by Lincoln Center. Janet had been approached to choreograph this for her company, and passed the opportunity along to me as a company member. The Dances/Janet Soares Company had been performing in many public schools for the Young Audiences program, but I believe this was a separate engagement arranged under different auspices. I recall using a hula hoop for the Ezekiel’s Wheel section, which the dancers tossed, and also they sprung the hula hoop forward on the ground, and with a twist of the wrist got it to travel backwards on the ground. Other than that, I do not recall much about the choreography, but found a couple of pages of blocking notes on it in my journal. “Simple Gifts” was choreographed as a solo for Carol Hess. It was choreographed to the traditional Shaker song and followed its narrative.