Series: New Television
Program: New Television
Episode: 610
Date: 1988-01-01
Subject: Modern dance
Copyright Holder: WGBH Educational Foundation; A.O. Productions, Kaaitheater, La Sept, Arcanal, R.T.B.F.

Clip Description
This episode of "New Television" features "Hoppla!" by Wolfgang Kolb

The long version of "Hoppla!" consists of two sections. In the first, a man and a woman perform a duet in a large, open room. They come together and pull apart, eventually working to a spiraling partnering sequence. As the camera pans the space, views of other buildings appear from the windows. In the second section, four women dance together, breaking in and out of unison movements. Gradually they pick up speed, twirling. At times, the camera focuses on close-up details of their clothing, hair, and faces. They appear to be dancing in a large library.

Music by Bela Bartok accompanies the work. The first duet is to "Microkosmos (Seven Pieces for Two Pianos)," and is performed by Walter Hus and Stefan Poelmans. They perform the work live, seated at pianos behind the dancers. The quartet section is danced to Quatuor No. 4 and is performed by the Mondriaan Kwartet -- Prunella Pacey, Edwin Blakenstium, Edward Van Resteren Altena, and Jan Erik Van Resteren Altena. These musicians also appear live alongside the dancers. Produced by Hugo de Greef and Marie Pascale Osterrleth.

Program Description
This episode of "New Television" features "Hoppla!" by Wolfgang Kolb

The long version of "Hoppla!" consists of two sections. In the first, a man and a woman perform a duet in a large, open room. They come together and pull apart, eventually working to a spiraling partnering sequence. As the camera pans the space, views of other buildings appear from the windows. In the second section, four women dance together, breaking in and out of unison movements. Gradually they pick up speed, twirling. At times, the camera focuses on close-up details of their clothing, hair, and faces. They appear to be dancing in a large library.

Music by Bela Bartok accompanies the work. The first duet is to "Microkosmos (Seven Pieces for Two Pianos)," and is performed by Walter Hus and Stefan Poelmans. They perform the work live, seated at pianos behind the dancers. The quartet section is danced to Quatuor No. 4 and is performed by the Mondriaan Kwartet -- Prunella Pacey, Edwin Blakenstium, Edward Van Resteren Altena, and Jan Erik Van Resteren Altena. These musicians also appear live alongside the dancers. Produced by Hugo de Greef and Marie Pascale Osterrleth.

Series Description
The New Television Workshop originated at WGBH, a public broadcasting station in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1974 to support the creation and development of experimental video art. This experimental programming included dance, drama, music, performance and visual arts on video and film. As early as 1968, WGBH was committed to the development of video art through residency programs, with artists such as Nam June Paik, and the "Rockefeller Artists-in-Television" project. Many of these early works (pre-1974) were broadcast both locally and nationally.

As an umbrella for arts related programming, the Workshop included "Artist's Showcase, " "Frames of Reference, " "Dance for Camera, " "Poetry Breaks," and "New Television," as well as acquired arts programming. Individual works were created for "Visions," a series produced by WNET (New York), and "Alive From Off Center," a series produced by KTCA (St. Paul - Minneapolis). The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund was co-founded by the Workshop and Boston's Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) in the 1980's, to commission works by video artists. In 1993 the Workshop ceased production at WGBH.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/NTW/FA/TITLES/New276.HTML