Cohen’s professional background includes a unique combination of teaching dance, movement theater, and composition that has blended traditional and modern styles. For the past seven years Ms. Cohen has taught ballet, modern dance, Movement Theater, coached hundreds of students, choreographed full-scale works, and performed as a movement theater dancer in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Her experience with dance and movement theater has ranged from teaching at the Perpich Center for the Arts, creating her own performance company, and choreographing dances that have been presented by numerous schools and companies throughout the region.

The class is designed to strengthen the student's ability to use their body as a dramatic tool for dance expression. The students will learn to create dance movements with clear intent and gain muscular awareness and control. The techniques taught in this class incorporate principles of Release, Humphrey as well as other modern dance modalities. In addition, musical phrasing and tempo are explored in this class.

Movement Theater focuses on movement as the source of theatrical expression and gives the performer a vocabulary to create physical dramatic art. The class explores movement and character analysis, tempo, and natural rhythms providing students with the tools needed to create drama on a visceral and primal level. Students will come away with a stronger sense of their physical self, giving them more power on stage.

This course explores the elements of dance (time, shape, space, and energy) through choreography and performance. Students will develop choreographic tools and skills to access their own dance piece. In addition, students will develop choreographic techniques, broaden their understanding of movement vocabulary and have the opportunity to use these skills while exploring their own personal voice as a choreographer and performer. Group work, improvisation, and self-exploration are elements in this course. This class will enhance your creativity and open you up to new forms of artistic communication.