Another Language Performing Arts Company

History - As Our Thoughts Escape Us (1986)

September 26 - 27, 1986 - Theatre 208, U of U Modern Dance Dept., Salt Lake City, Utah

She Was Such A Good Little Girl (1983)

Choreographer: Elizabeth A. Miklavcic
Music: Subminiature Basic
Costume Design: Susie McGee-Lowdermilk
Costume Construction: Elizabeth A. Miklavcic
Lighting: Jimmy Miklavcic
Set Design: Elizabeth A. Miklavcic
Set Construction: Jimmy Miklavcic
Dancers: Susie McGee-Lowdermilk, Pamela Falvo, Wendy Fink, Erica Kessler, Geneva Ann Moss, Anne Reeb
Location: University of Utah Modern Dance Department Theatre 208 (Dress Rehearsal)
Length: 13:35 minutes

Description
Elizabeth Miklavcic was invited to choreograph this work for a rally against rape organized by Callie Floor and held at the Utah State Capitol in the fall of 1983. The concept of the work was to portray a savagery of childhood images. Spring boarding off the imagery of dolls and clowns, normally symbolic of childhood innocence, She Was Such A Good Little Girl, came from the perspective of a child that has been assaulted. The choreography, music collage, costuming and make-up were twisted and fragmented so that these seemingly benign representations of childhood would embody the perspective from a forever-altered child.

The original 1983 cast consisted of Susan McGee-Lowdermilk as the lead, Linnea Alexandrov, Wendy DuLong, Wendy Thompson, Joni Urry and Tammy Von Bank. Development of the work took place in the "old" dance building on the University of Utah campus where Jacqueline Clifford allowed Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic to build and set up the multileveled set piece and leave it up in the basement studio during the choreographic process.

After the debut at the capitol, the work was performed a second time for Experimental Floss on October 19, 1983. As was often the case during this multi-artist variety show, organized by Tina Karlsson, Elizabeth and Jimmy Miklavcic, the piece that came after intermission often was not recorded due to the volunteer camera operator forgetting to turn on the camera. As a result, there is no recording of the performance of She Was Such A Good Little Girl in this showcase event. It was a showstopper though, with an incredible response from the audience.

When the work was restaged for the Another Language Performing Arts Company debut concert in 1986, a recording was made using a Betamax portable video camera/recorder, purchased from Sears. Remember, that in the 1980's, portable video cameras were a new phenomenon and recording theatrical performances was especially problematic as one attempted to document live performances using stage lighting. Achieving a video image with low light was next to impossible. In this recording the lighting was brought up and left at a high level to off set this technical difficulty.

This recording was made for documentary purposes, the absence of close-ups or any editing makes viewing a challenge. Improvements in the footage was attempted by applying video and audio filters using Final Cut, but the video documentation still exhibits many problems, especially compared to today's available technology and advancements. With that in mind, Elizabeth is proud to have any representation of this choreographic work and is pleased to share this piece of history with the viewer.

The works of the Another Language Debut Concert, As Our Thoughts Escape Us, were recorded during the dress rehearsal. There were a few people in the audience previewing the concert, but to achieve any type of video recording, the lights were brought up to full so that the Beta video equipment could pick up the pieces. In the early days of public accessible video cameras it was very difficult to video tape anything with low light.