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Jano Cohen History/Philosophy Jano Cohen history/philosophy In 1971 I took an 8 week workshop at American University at Wolf Trap in D.C. and studied with Twyla Tharp as well as modern dance instructors. From 1972-1974 I studied improvisation and composition with Judith Dunn and contact improvisation with Steve Paxton at Bennington (as well as modern and ballet instructors, Martha Wittman, Laura Glenn and Carla Maxwell). Steve introduced me to repertory by Deborah Hay and Ivan Rainier. Barbara Dilley visited and introduced us to her improvisational squares. From the summer of 1974 through the spring of 1975 I lived in San Francisco where I studied with Anna Halpren (improvisation, movement rituals) and Nita Little (contact improvisation). I joined a group that performed contact improvisation and street dance/theatre. I moved to Philadelphia in the summer of 1975 with John Gamble. I continued my study of contact improvisation and modern techniques. The first choreographer I danced with was Terry Fox. Through her I met Ishmael Houston-Jones and he and I performed some contact improvisation together and he performed in my piece, “Relic”. From 1975 until 1984 I danced for several independent choreographers. We were all friends and danced in one another’s work. This included Tonio Guerra, Louey Williams and others. I travelled to New York to take a workshop from Trisha Brown that had a tremendous impact on my choreography. I found that her movement style was similar to my own idiosyncratic movement. From 1980-1981 I pursued an M.F.A. in dance at Temple University. Each teacher influenced me a bit and I learned more about choreographic technique from Hellmut Fricke- Gottschild. Edrie Ferdun helped me start my journey towards finding my physical grounding. She also performed in my masters project – “Snow Falling on Waves”. She had not been dancing for several years and this inspired her to begin to do her own choreography. I then performed in her work. Dan Martin and Michael Biello were also involved so I saw more of them then. I believe my own choreographic style was a bit eclectic. Nancy Goldner (Critic, Philadelphia Inquirer) called me a “cognitive post modern choreographer”. In reading Sally Banes, I believe I trailed back and forth between that and being a “metaphoric post modern choreographer”. And occasionally I was perhaps a modern dance choreographer until in the end I became a “post post modern choreographer”. The elements that were important to me included: 1) That I was free to use any movement vocabulary I chose and that I was not limited to any particular technique. My movement occasionally included “pedestrian movement”, but most often required technical training. 2) That I find my own personal style of moving that came from an inner source, my sense of my own physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual center. This personal style was also influenced by my practice of t’ai chi and Alexander technique. It was limited by my lack of athletic and dancing training up until I was 18 years old as well as injuries I began to sustain the moment I began dancing. I studied a bit of each style of dance that was available to me – Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Ballet, jazz, Jose Limon, Mary Wigman (Hellmut Gottschild), and Contact Improvisation. Each of these made an imprint on my movement vocabulary and were incorporated but reinterpreted until they were probably non-recognizable. 3) That my choreography came from a fresh inspiration each time, using the idea of a blank sheet of paper, a clean slate, a beginner’s mind. 4) That my choreographic process followed intuitive choices as well as intellectual control of structure. 5) I liked to play with structure, but I was not interested in structure or games for its own sake – as Merce Cunningham or Trisha Brown did. I liked to use form as it functioned to tell my story or relate my image. 6) That I not have to commit myself to any one particular type of form, but allowed each dance to find its own expression. How the forms were created depended on my process: a) Begin with a movement, then let that lead to the next one until I had a long chain of movement. b) Begin with an image and find a way to manifest the image in movement. (“Snow Falling on Waves”) c) I sometimes used structured improvisations to create form. (“Between Wars”, “In the Silence of Memory Sound Would be Pain”, improvisational performances) d) I sometimes asked dancers to come up with movement material to contribute to the movement vocabulary. (“Skancing”, “In the Silence of Memory, Sound Would be Pain”, “Between Wars”) e) I sometimes collaborated with other artists to create a new performance form. (“Our Amusement Park”, “One and four”, “Skancing”) f) Start with a piece of music and find movement (“Three Songs” and improvisational performances) 7) That performing was a spiritual act. The goal was to connect with what I was expressing and share it with an audience – bringing us together for a mutual experience that helped us appreciate life in a deeper way and become more connected to one another. 8) That I not limit myself to my own movement, but include the movement of the dancers working me, whenever it was relevant for a particular dance. They might be given improvisational structures within which to move. I might ask them to create a phrase based on an idea. I might ask them to improvise first, then I would ask them to memorize that movement and solidify it into choreography. 9) That my work could at least sometimes go beyond the purely personal and could touch on larger themes that could be universally observed and appreciated. 10) I was very interested in physical and emotional texture – the feel of a movement – and I enjoyed quirky complexity offset by smooth relaxed movement. The dances I made in the 1970’s and early 80’s in Philadelphia 1) In Their Sleep They Hum – a response to the paintings of Joan Braun performed at Nexus gallery. – 1978? 2) Duet with Kristen Krathwohl – 1977 3) Contact Improvisation performance with Ishmael 3) Relic – 1978? – performed at Church St. Studio/Terry’s loft and/or Painted Bride?, Excerpt performed at Harold Prince 1980 4) Trio – music by Charles Cohen 5) Skancing – dance on ice performed at U of P ice skating rink, later made into a film with music by Jeff Cain- 1979, then 1980 or 1981? 6) Solo with chairs for Valerie? - TU 7) The Wonder of Living Things – lecture based on book by that title recited by Jeremy 8) High Wire – solo based on experience at clinic, working with text, performed at Harold Prince, and Conwell? 9) Snow Falling on Waves – 1980 or 1981? at Conwell Hall, TU, then Houston Hall, Trenton State College, then mounted on South Street Dance Company 10) Voiceprint – first solo made after Trisha Brown workshop – 1981 or 1982? 11) Voiceprint II – jazz music?, Conwell 12) 1981? Solo made in collaboration with Edrie Ferdun – music by Meredith Monk, Conwell 13) Baglady – Bread Street Studio 14) To illustrate costume by Millie Greenberg – structured improvisation at Bread Street Studio 15) “ ?“ Dance for film by Bruce Frankel, filmed at Conwell Hall without music, music Composed later to fit film Later work: 16) Improvisational structures with Marshall Taylor, another musician? And Jessica 1987 17) Poppin’ Wood – 1985 18) 5 TV’s “?” – 1985 19) “ “ – 1985 20) “?” – stop and go? Red light green light? Sign language duet with Binnie Ritchie - Holum 21) Between Wars – first version with kids and sign language, performed at Group Motion and PA School for the Deaf – Tonio in this 22) Between Wars – second version – 6 adults – Tonio in this 23) One and Four – ? 24) Womanbird – made for Shula Saltzman, danced by Lisa Bardarson, music by Marshall Taylor 25) Our Amusement Park – collaboration with Dennis Bass and Roger Laib for The Continuo Project at The Painted Bride 26) Dancing in a Box – 1985? Painted Bride, West Phila theatre now closed, excerpts Elsewhere? 27) Three Songs – danced by Ariel & Lisa 28) “ “ – duet commissioned by Two to Go Dance Company 29) In the Silence of Memory, Words Would Be Pain 30) In Transit – performed in 30th Street station by me, later at Aids benefit at Merriam Tehater by Lisa Bardarson 31) By the Light of the Moon – solo for Aids concert at Merriam .
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