mondsy, decembcr 6, 1973
mis ii encefcainmenc 1 1
limoDovcDuw cte&ioains brioo Wu v movio&Vv UNL
TPs-"
ELborxSe ccsEssss, 2S slide projectors, tissue and
niilic caoi peps and cnusid liife effects set the
KiLchis Desce Theatre tpsrt from ether modem discs
troupes.
Dnce thestre ccn-Jbers are ca the UNL campus today
through Wednesday, performing sad speskfeg
Nikolais Las been the rarjor ianovxior in dance isi
America ia tlae past 25 yerrs. lit tss a working back
ground ia Eisic, dance, theatre sod puppetry, which has
fed to Lis integrated medium approach to dance theatre.
Nikolais basic philosophy is that the dancer should cot
be separated frca his environment.
This is shown by the use of lights and slide projections.
Often his dancers are indistrngulshable from the environ
ment because the light design projected on the backdoth
also is cm the dancer.
Ccsisrnes vary
This concept also involves costuming for the dancers.
Sometimes two dancers share one stretchy bag for a
costume. At ether times, the dancers' costumes becomes
part of the props. ,
Nikolais Dance Theatre uses electronic sounds during
the show. The sound geared specifically to the move
ment of the dancers, rather than the traditional dancers
geared to pre-psttemed music.
Nikolais, the man behind the production, acts as
choreographer, set designer, 'costume and make-up de
signer, and also is responsible for the lighting and musical
concept. .
One European critic called him the "first international
creative artist to emerge from the United States.
Of his own work, Nikolais has said: "Futuristic? That's
nonsense. What I re done is a reaction against the
Freudian concept of the libido responsible for all behavior
of man.
He said this approach does not dehumanize his subjects
subjects.
Tw searched for statistic (ancestorisl) impulses and
gcr.5 into arsxsslily in order to saw ourselves from the
environment of the mores of msscuIMty and femininity.
When I hive a male dancer on stsge I want neither a fag
nor track driver. I wast somebody who knows how to
dance, dance bebg the art of motion."
A free public lecture by Nikolais w3 be at 8 tonight in
the Wcsneas'Fhysical Education Bldg. dance studio.
Nikolais wf3 spesk about Technical Cksze m Arts of
Tlisss and how dance theatre evolved.
Performances by the company are scheduled at 8 p jn.
Tuesday and Wednesday in Kimball Recital Ik!l.
Tickets st21 are available at the Kcnbc3 box office.
Tickets are $230 for students and $4 fur general
admission.
The residency is supported partially by grants from the
Nebraska Fine Arts Council and the National Endowment
for fee Arts, coordinated by the Mid-America Arts
Alliance.
Iff m ft M0o w. fflr "
. .i, ?mMm?SL& wit , i
- .. . . . . - - . .
Photo courtesy f GJaaga
The Kiclds Dasce ThesSst cses a cssf tikIa approach to indera dance. The grotrp is ia irsMence st UNL
Big Bird and alter ego keep their rules separate
When Caroll Spinney puts on a costume
of bright yellow feathers, striped stockings
and a besk, he automatically is Efg Bird,
a Sessmc Street regislar.
Big Bird made an appearance with the
Lincoln Symphony Orchestra Sunday at
the UNL Sports Complex. I!e talked with
members of the audience and autographed
postcards cf himself for children. lie also
conducted the symphony.
After he's in costume, all resemblance
of Spinney is gone; he's Big Bird and never
breaks character.
S '
, J
4 I
& & m
' - J,
Eg Cird was adked how much he made
and he replied he works jufit for bird seed ;
I cant imagine anything I'd want more."
Yet, there's a serious side to the 43-year-cU
actor. Spinney has been 1nto
ppets" since he was eight years old.
The voice of Big Bird developed from a dog
(puppet) that Spinney invented.
' sspkney, a gray-haired man with a
gmtee, is not new to the business. He had
his own puppet show 21 years ago on a
local television station in Las Vegas. At
the time, he was making S10 a week.
A gist psppet ,
: The character of Eig Bird was developed
by Jim Henson, the producer of Sesame
Street. Dig Cird is one of the Muppetsand
is technically a giant puppet, Spinney said.
Ills character was developed to fulfill
childhood fantasies on a street setting on
Ssssme Street, according to Spinney.
Dig Dird is intriguing to children and
'adults because, lie's a big innocent-Iook-fcg
diM " David Hohnan, assistant pro
ducer, said.
"Children immediately identify with
him: lie's the czly character that repre
sents chUdrea. He's a child (himself),",
liolmaa sail.
The other characters on Sesame Street
teach children- Dig Dird doesn't do that. He
makes mistakes and experiences things for
children, Ilclmaa ssii.
UszZsr rtrrrsd to chest
Spinney has a monitor strapped on his
chest, slang with cue cards underneath his
cosfssie. Spinney said he has a basic script
Us work with, but he ad lis a lot and tries
to do on-the-spot humor.
I've done a number of symphonies
with the Boston Pops and they were very
succesful," Spinney remarked.
Cecause of the success of Dig Bird's
appearance with the Boston Pops, other ,
symphonies have adtcd Dig Biid to appear '
with them.
It's a nice way to see Big Dird and get
the children interested ia music," Spinney
said.
During theext week, Big Bird and othe
Seszme Street characters will perform at a
party First Lady Betty Ford is giving for
children of various Washington ambassa
dors. Each feather of Big Bird's costume is
individually dyed and hand-glued, accord
ing to Holman. Spinney doesnt put his
cost use on until the last minute, because
it's tiring to wear.
e have to be careful with tisnkg, and
space our energy for the show in seg
ments," Spinney said.
One of Spinney's hands must be straight
over his head at all times because it holds
up the costumes head. His other hand is
free to move as Big Bird's ami.
The costume is made of two basic
parts, fee yellow body of Big Bird, which
must be put on by someone other than
Spinney, and his colored stockings that are
supported by suspenders.
Big Bird will never grow any older. He
started at four and has advanced only to
the age of six.
Spinney has been with Seszme Street
since it started eight seasons ago. And
Spinney has pbyed the part of Big Bird
from the beginning.
Woke bomb, power is topic
Nuclear enerrv and the ainmir hnmh
are the topics of a doddle-feature program
l jt Shclion FHu Theatre today throLgh
Lcmjoyi Hudesr Wm, a 1975 release,
fsresesfs a cress tection cf points of view
z'vrA mzd&M power, chil disobedience
zzi the pclitks of energy. .
The fin describes Samuel Lov-joy's act
cf sdbcta? and pJbseatzsnt trial I nwi
tcrriid a SCXMoot steel wcath-r tnwW' ii
" - w n w A
r
ments by Lowjoy and other nuclear oppo
nents to capsulize the debate between pro
and antkiuckar forces.
Oozm&ds, the second feature is based
on government footr-- of the k$ under
water ; A-bomb test, Sdy 25, 1946, at
Bikrj Atc2 m the Fadf Ocean.
The fim was made by Enxe Comer
a noted San Francisco painter and fHn
iker. Star.L-y Ekhelba -f tU
Frsndsca Exsrrancr cas C:e ftn Xon-
Ilsss. The tower hn n-r't .T . : " .
b L. " . r: vv4iii exwruaatwe work
era cy a i-wl utJr co;;ny as part -. . richly atoohrr ic e-n bmv
7
est nu
arprrp
Istevicw wij industry and !;
tstTfTS ere justjpostd with state-
The showr.rs are at 7 and 9 Pxl
iner? wu be afternoon xhowii tt 3 fti.
cay and Siturijy. Admisson it S2.