Cohan Choreographic Chronology
Works by Sir Robert Cohan CBE
Sir Robert Cohan CBE Choreographic Chronology:
This is an incomplete list. Some works created as commissioned projects and some works created in collaboration with other choreographers are not included.
Left: Cohan rehearsing circa 1970. Photo Anthony Crichmay
1952
Title: Perchance to Dream
Music: Claude Debussy
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 28 July, Connecticut College, New London
1958
Title: Streams
Music: Alan Hovhaness
Design: Robert Cohan
1959
Title: Praises
Music: Alan Hovhaness
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 8 November, Strong Auditorium, University of Rochester
Title: Vestige (solo on the death of Pan)
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 8 November, Strong Auditorium, University of Rochester
1960
Title: Seaborne
Music: James Anderson
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 2 April, Strong Auditorium, University of Washington
Title: The Pass: A Rehearsal in Evil
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 2 April, Strong Auditorium, University of Washington
Title: The New Boy (musical)
Premiere: Pilgrim Fellowship of the First Church in Cambridge Congregational, Boston
Title: Veiled Woman
Music: Leonard Taffs
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 8 October, Strong Auditorium, University of Rochester
1961
Title: Dido and Aeneas
Music: Henry Purcell
Premiere: 18 May, Jordan Hall, Boston
Title: Eclipse
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: American Dance Festival, Connecticut College
1962
Title: Hunter of Angels
Music: Bruno Moderna
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 25 May, Loeb Drama Center, Boston
Title: Chamber of the Liar
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 25 May, Loeb Drama Center, Boston
Title: Luna Park: An Excursion
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 25 May, Loeb Drama Center, Boston
1963
Title: Ceremony for Serpents
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 28 April, John Hancock Hall, Boston
Title: Ornaments and Ashes
Music: Eugene Lester
Design: Walter Martin
Premiere: 28 April, John Hancock Hall, Boston
1965
Title: Siddartha
Music and libretto: James T. Anderson
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 4 March, Loeb Drama Center, Boston
Title: Celebrants
Music: Suriname
Design: Robert Cohan
Title: Tent of Vision
Music: Noam Sharif
Design: Dani Karavan
Premiere: 5 August, Habima Theatre, Tel Aviv
1967
Title: Sky
Music: Eugene Lester
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 10 October, Adeline Genée Theatre, East Grinstead
Title: Tzaikerk
Music: Alan Hovhaness
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 10 October, Adeline Genée Theatre, East Grinstead
1969
Title: Side Scene
Music: early music
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 2 September, The Place, London
Title: Shanta Quintet
Music: John Mayer
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 4 September, The Place, London
Title: Cell
Music: Ronald Lloyd
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 11 September, The Place, London
1971
Title: Life Lines, dance for television
Broadcast: 8 January, BBC2
Title: The Consolation of the Rising Moon
Music: John Williams
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 13 January, The Place, London
Title: Stages
Music: Arne Nordheim, Bob Downes
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Peter Farmer
Film: Anthony McCall
Premiere: 21 April, The Place, London
1972
Title: People Alone
Music: Bob Downes
Lighting: John B. Read
Costumes: Jane Hyland
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 29 August, The Place, London
1973
Title: People Together
Music: Bob Downes
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Costumes: Robert Cohan
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 26 February, The Place, London
Title: Mass
Music: Vladimir Rodzianko (1973), Judith Weir (1974)
Lighting: John B. Read
Costumes: Robert Cohan
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 3 April, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford
1974
Title: Waterless Method of Swimming Instruction
Music: Bob Downes
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Costumes: Robert Cohan
Design: Ian Murray Clark
Premiere: 11 June, Théâtre de Beaulieu, Lausanne Festival
Title: No Man’s Land
Music: Barry Guy
Lighting: Richard Cassella
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 13 November, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
Title: Men Seen Afar, dance for television
Broadcast: 16 November, BBC2
Title: “Dance of the Seven Veils,” dance for video production of Salome
1975
Title: Masque of Separation
Music: Burt Alcantara
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 20 February, Shaw Theatre, London (as Myth)
Title: Class
Music: John Keliehor (1975), Geoffrey Burgon (1980), John Keliehor (1981onwards)
Lighting: John B. Read
Costumes: Jane Hyland
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 4 June, The Place, London
Title: Stabat Mater
Music: Antonio Vivaldi
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 29 September, MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling
Title: Place of Change
Music: Arnold Schoenberg
Lighting: Robert Cohan (Bat-Dor), John B. Read (LCDT, 1981)
Costumes: Robert Cohan
Design: Charter
Premiere: Bat-Dor, unknown; LCDT, 22 December, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
1976
Title: Khamsin
Music: Bob Downes
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Costumes: Robert Cohan
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 22 March, The Playhouse, Leeds
Title: Nympheas
Music: Claude Debussy
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 22 June, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
Title: Carte Blanche, nude review directed by Clifford Williams
Lighting: Andrew Bridge
Design: Farrah and Judith Bland
Premiere: 30 September, Phoenix Theatre, London
1977
Title: Forest
Sound: Brian Hodgson
Design: Norberto Chiesa
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 12 April, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
1978
Title: Falling Man Solo
Music: Barrington Pheloung
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 18 May, Coliseum, London
Title: Eos
Music: Barry Guy
Design: Barney Wan
Premiere: 3 October, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth
Title: Ice
Music: Morton Subotnick
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 5 December, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
1979
Title: Songs, Lamentations and Praises
Music: Geoffrey Burgon
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 7 August, Jerusalem
Title: Rondo
Music: John Herbert McDowell
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Barney Wan
Premiere: 2 October, The Roundhouse, London
1980
Title: Cancions del Alma
Music: Geoffrey Burgon
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 1 January, Toronto
Title: Field
Music: Brian Hodgkin
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Penny. King
Premiere: 12 February, Christ’s Hospital Arts Centre, Horsham
1981
Title: Dances of Love and Death
Music: Carl Davis, Conlon Nancarrow
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 31 October, Edinburgh Festival
1982
Title: Chamber Dances
Music: Geoffrey Burgon
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 16 September, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
Title: When Evening Spreads Itself Against the Sky
Music: J. S. Bach
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: (Toronto? Dancers from there)
Title: Agora
Music: J. S. Bach, Barrington Pheloung
Lighting: Mark Henderson
Design: Noberto Chiesa
Premiere: 16 February, Grand Theatre, Leeds (working title: Common Land).
1985
Title: Mass for Man, dance for Television
Broadcast: 17 November, BBC2
1986
Title: Ceremony/Slow Dance on a Burial Ground
Music: Stephen Montague
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Costumes: Audrey Gie
Design: Norberto Chiesa
Premiere:14 February, Royal Hippodrome, Eastbourne
Title: Video Life
Music: Barry Guy
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Norberto Chiesa
Premiere: 27 August, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Title: Interrogations
Music: Barrington Pheloung
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: António Lagarto
Premiere: 24 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
1987
Title: The Phantasmagoria
Choreography: Robert Cohan, Tom Jobe, Darshan Singh Bhuller
Music: Barrington Pheloung
Lighting: Graham Large
Design: Nadine Baylis
Premiere: 29 September, Birmingham Hippodrome
1989
Title: In Memory
Music: Hans Werner Henze
Lighting: John B Read
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 18 April, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Title: Metamorphoses
Music: Benjamin Britten
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 18 April, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Title: Crescendo
Choreography: Robert Cohan and Darshan Singh Bhuller
Music: David Bedford
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 18 April, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Title: The Stone Garden
Music: Nigel Osborne
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Peter Farmer
Premiere: 18 April, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
1993
Title: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (for Scottish Ballet)
Music: Felix Mendelssohn, Barrington Pheloung
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Norberto Chiesa
Premiere: 20 March, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
1996
Title: The Four Seasons (for Scottish Ballet)
Music: Antonio Vivaldi
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Norberto Chiesa
Premiere: 26 August, in “Sweat Rock n’Roll, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Title: Adagietto
Music: Gustav Mahler
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
1997
Title: Pictures
Choreography: Robert Cohan and Robert North
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Premiere: Teatro di Rovigo, Italy
2000
Title: Aladdin (for Scottish Ballet)
Music: Carl Davis
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Lez Brotherston
Premiere: 20 December, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
2005
Title: Study
Choreography: Robert Cohan and Darshan Singh Bhuller
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 8 December, The Place, London
(Works created for the Yorke Dance Project are noted with (YDP).
2015
Title: Lingua Franca (YDP)
Music: J.S. Bach arr. Ferusio Busoni, Eleanor Alberga
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 31 January, Merlin Theatre Frome
10 March, Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London
Title: Lacrymosa (YDP)
Music: Dimitre Yanov-Yanovsky
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Preview: 11 March 2016, Close Studio, Royal Opera House
Premiere: 22 September 2026, The Mill, Banbury
3 May 2016, Winchester Cathedral
Title: Sigh (Richard Alston Dance Company)
Music: Edward Elgar
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 26 March, The Place Theatre
2016
Title: Twilight (using movements from Testament 1979)
Music: Vivaldi L 'Estro Armónico Op. 3 Adagio e Spiccato, Larghetto, Adante and Largo
Lighting: Adrian Plaut
Costume Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 22 September, The Mill, Banbury
3 October, Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler's Wells Theatre, London
2017
Title: Forest Revisited (Elixir Project)
Lighting: Robert Cohan
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 23 June, Sadler’s Wells Theatre:
2019
Title: Communion (YDP)
Music: Nils Frahm
Lighting: John B. Read
Design: Robert Cohan
Premiere: 31 January, Pavilion Dance South West, Bournemouth
2020-21
Title: Wind (Solo for Canticle for Innocent Comedians)
Commissioned for Martha Graham Dance Company
Performed 6 April 2022 City Center, New York
Title: Afternoon Conversations with Dancers (YDP)
Music: Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds
Design: Zeynep Kepekli
Premiere: 12 November, Royal Opera House
Title: Lockdown Portraits (renamed Seven Portraits) (YDP)
Film: Directed by David Stewart
Premiere Screening: 17 October 2021, Barbican Center, London
Cohan Dancers
Robert Cohan’s Dancers
As listed in The Last Guru: Robert Cohan’s Life in Dance by Paul R. W. Jackson
(pages 144-145)
Robert Cohan and Dancers (1959-66)
Matt Turney
Betram Ross
Robert Powell
Mary Hinkson
Juliet Fisher
Lida Hodes
Carol Drisin
London Contemporary Dance Theatre
Dinah Goodes (1969)
Dawn Susuki (1969)
Elsa Piperno (1969-70)
Ruth Posner (1969-70)
Maria Casey (1969-71)
Franca Telesio (1969-71)
Bob Smith (1969-71)
Madeline McKnight (1969-71, 1975)
William Luther (1969-71,1975)
Barry Moreland (1969-71)
Irene Dilks (1969-72)
Robert Powell (1969-72)
Clare Duncan (1969-72)
Derek Linton (1969-72)
Noemi Lapzeson (1969-1973)
Xenia Hribar (1969-74)
Namron (1969-83)
Robert North (1969-87)
Siobhan Davies (1969-87)
Linda Gibbs (1969-88)
Jack Nightingale (1970)
Janet Aaron (1970)
Stephen Barker (1970-4)
Juliet Fisher (1970-4)
Micha Bergese (1970-80)
Rita Levtinen (1971)
Celeste Dandeker (1971-4)
Anthony Van Laast (1971-9)
Paula Lansley (1971-9)
Ross McKim (1972-9)
Kate Harrison (1972-83)
Larrio Ekson (1973)
Eva Lundqvist (1973)
Anna Frankenhauser (1973-89)
Partick Harding-Irmer (1973-91)
Charlotte Milner (1974-8)
Cathy Lewis (1974-81)
Celia Hulton (1974-90)
Nick Tarrant (1975)
Jean-Louis Morin (1975)
Charlotte Kirkpatrick (1975-89)
Tom Jobe (1975/77-82)
Sallie Ester (1975-87)
Christopher Bannerman (1975-90)
Julyen Hamilton (Peter Page) (1976-7)
Philippe Giraudeau (1977-82)
Anita Griffin (1977-86)
Serena Ward (1979)
Lizzie Saunderson (1979-83)
Jayne Lee (1979-83)
Michael Small (1979-90)
Janet Smith (1980)
Philip Taylor (1980-1)
Lenny Westerdijk (1980-6)
Paul Douglas (1980-8)
Lauren Potter (1980-9)
Darshan Singh Bhuller (1980-94)
Jonathan Lunn (1981-91)
Anne Went (1981-91)
Julian Moss (1982-90)
Kenneth Tharp (1982-4)
Brenda Edwards (1984-7)
Tamsin Hickling (1984-8)
Peter Dunleavy (1984-94)
Melinda McKenna (1987-8)
Kerry Woodward (1987-9)
Paul Liburd (1987-91)
Tracey Fitzgerald (1987-94)
Helen Beattie (1988-84)
Kate Coyne (1988-94)
Isabel Tamen (1988-94)
Andrew Robinson (1988-94)
Isabel Mortimer (1989-93)
David Hughes (1989-94)
Sheron Wray (1989-94)
Leesa Phillips (1989-94)
Bernadette Iglich (1989-94)
Aletta Collins (1989-90)
Tom Ward (1990-2)
Elizabeth Fancourt (1991-4)
Stephanie Ross-Russell (1993-4)
Chris Tudor (1993-4)
Karen Woo (1993-4)
Fred Gehrig (1993-4)
After 1994
After the closure of LCDT Cohan worked on a number of commission projects or collaborated on the restaging of his works for established companies including Rambert Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, The Scottish Ballet, Richard Alston Dance Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, The Royal Ballet, and the Yorke Dance Project.
A partial list (alphabetical) of dancers from the Yorke Dance Project, Martha Graham Dance Company, the Richard Alston Dance Company, the Royal Ballet, and independent artists that Cohan worked with between 2012 and 2021 includes:
Luke Ahmet
Matthew Ball
Jordi Calpe Serrats
Eleanor Ferguson
Jonathan Goddard
David Hughes
Dane Hurst
Freya Jeffs
Lloyd Knight
Charlotte Landreau
Abigail Attard Montalto
Edd Mitton
Romany Pajdak
Oxana Panchenko
Liam Riddick
Phil Sanger
Kieran Stoneley
Amy Thake
Lauren Dalley Smith
Pierre Tappon
Joe Walkling
Hannah Windows
Yolande Yorke-Edgell
Primary Sources:
Jackson, Paul, The Last Guru: Robert Cohan’s Life in Dance. Dance Books Ltd. 2013
Clarke, Mary and Crisp, Clement, London Contemporary Dance Theatre. Dance Books Ltd. 1989
Yorke Dance Project: (website https://yorkedance.com/)
Notes: Cohan often used the pseudonym “Charter” as a programme credit for his lighting design; the credit has been changed to Robert Cohan for clarity. The term “premiere” has been used in lieu of FP or First Performance to note the first public performance(s) of a work. Performers names are not noted, but a list of Robert Cohan and Dancers (1959-1966), LCDT company members (1969-1994) and a partial list of performers in later Cohan works (2012-2021) is provided above. For more information about the dancers and artists Cohan worked with over the decades. please refer to the books listed or to the dance companies linked on our Friends and Supporters pages.