Valda Setterfield

Valda Setterfield (Dancer/Actor) is from England where she performed in pantomimes & w/Ballet Rambert. In 1958 she came to US & joined James Waring Co. (58–62) & Merce Cunningham Co. (64–74). She appeared w/Grand Union & in works of Katherine Litz, Yvonne Rainer, Robert Wilson, Richard Foreman, JoAnne Akalaitis. She performed w/David Gordon @ Living Theater & Judson Dance Theater & she is founding member of Pick Up Performance Co(s). In 1984 she received a New York Dance & Performance Award (Bessie). She was featured artist in WNET/PBS Dance in America’s Beyond The Mainstream & in 1987 costarred w/Mikhail Baryshnikov in Gordon’s Made in USA (WNET/PBS Great Performances. In 1988 she returned to Rambert as guest artist in Gordon’s Mates. She played Marcel Duchamp in Bessie/Obie award winning The Mysteries & What’s So Funny? (90–92) & toured Europe & Japan w/White Oak Dance Project in 1992. She acted in work of her son playwright Ain Gordon @ Soho Rep, Dance Theater Workshop & she played herself in his Art, Life & Show Biz @ PS 122. She appeared in films of Yvonne Rainer, Brian de Palma & performed choreography of Graziella Danielle in Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite & Everyone Says I Love You (95–96). In 2003, she danced @ 25th anniversary celebration of British Dance Umbrella & in 2004/5 she danced & acted in Dancing Henry Five @ Pantages Theater (Walker Art Center) in Minneapolis & Lied Center in Lawrence, Kansas & @ Danspace in NY. She played The Old Woman in Ionesco’s The Chairs @ London’s Barbican theater, On the Boards in Seattle & @ the Harvey in BAM’s Next Wave Festival. In 2006 she received a second Bessie for outstanding achievement. She played Bertolt Brecht in Gordon’s Uncivil Wars: moving w/Brecht & Eisler. Danced w/Gus Solomon Jr & Carmen de Lavallade in Paradigm company & in Boris Charmatz’ 50 Ans de Dance in Europe. Recently in Gordon’s Beginning of the End of...based primarily on Pirandello’s Six Characters In Search Of An Author & The Matter/Art & Archive 2012 @ Danspace in NY.

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VALDA RESUME: PDF

DAVID WRITES ABOUT VALDA: PDF

ORAL HISTORIES:
@ New York Public Library for the Performing Arts w/Theresa Bowers, 1977 Link
@ New York Public Library for the Performing Arts w/Deborah Jowitt, 2012 Link

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT VALDA:
IMDb Link
Wikipedia Link
Monday's with Merce Link