Leslie A. Cohen Has Experienced a Lifetime of Global Dances
Leslie A. Cohen is an accomplished dancer who has worked in a wide variety of styles. She is also a board member of Oyo Dance Company. We chatted with her about her background and career in dance.
Rachel: How did you get started in your art form? What do you remember about first being intrigued by it?
Leslie: I have been dancing my entire life, starting at age five to 16 with ballet lessons at the Schwarz School of Dance in Dayton, one of the oldest ballet schools in the U.S. I used to love seeing the company dancers in the dressing room, stretching their pink tights and tediously preparing their pointe shoes. Alas, I did not have the body of a classical dancer, so I was thrilled when I discovered the joys of international dance and music in college.
I moved to Columbus in 1983 and quickly became immersed in the folk dance scene, two years later becoming a dancer and vocal soloist with Zivili Kolo Ensemble, a semi-professional company performing music and dances of Yugoslavia. At the same time, my professional career as a technical writer allowed me to combine the disciplines of art and technology. In my current role as board secretary for Oyo Dance Company, I am able to draw on my experience as a performer as well as my professional background in writing, process improvement and organizational communications.
Rachel: What is your process for creating/working/rehearsing/performing?
Leslie: It has been interesting to move from dance forms that are more prescriptive, like classical ballet or even folk dance, to dance that relies more on improvisation. I feel that while performing, I can use both my analytical mind and my emotions. A choreography can require methodically learning every movement that matches every beat of the music, or it can be a piece that changes with each performance depending on the whim of the dancers. In my past, performing was about learning footwork and patterns and song words and harmonies. Lately, I am having more performance opportunities where I can allow myself to dance what I feel and hear.
Rachel: What question do you get asked most often about your art, and how do you answer?
Leslie: The question I get asked most often when I speak about my performance experience is, “What is that?” I am used to needing to explain how East European folk dances came to America or the history of Israeli dancing or how Croatian instruments differ from a guitar. Or, when I sang in a Sweet Adelines chorus, that women can sing in the barbershop style as well as men. People are often surprised to hear about these types of music and dance that are less well known, and I am excited to expose them to these new art forms.
Rachel: What’s something about your art that you think might appeal to someone who’s never seen it before?
Leslie: It seems I am drawn to music and dance with unusual rhythms and harmonies. I invite you to listen to the wail of the Macedonian gaida (bagpipe) or the 9/16 rhythm of a Balkan folk dance. I love the dissonant chords and modal scales found in much traditional music as well as the a cappella sounds of barbershop harmony, filled with seventh and ninth chords.
Rachel: What do you do to relax or unwind?
Leslie: Though I’ve slowed down over the years, I try to stay involved in hobbies that keep me moving and singing. I am a big fan of the Pilates classes at Inspiration to Movement, home of the dance school for Oyo Dance Company. I also take classes and perform with the Perennials Movement Group, which is for dancers over 50 years old. I still attend the occasional folk dance workshop, and you might hear me singing in Croatian or Bulgarian. As my newest endeavor, I do volunteer work with the Harmony Project and sing in the Harmony Community Chorus.
Rachel: What are some of your favorite things about Columbus?
Leslie: I have lived for 30 years in the Clintonville area of Columbus, which gives me easy access to OSU, downtown and many local restaurants. I used to say that Columbus was convenient to navigate, though I have learned to avoid rush hour traffic as the city has grown! I enjoy attending live music events at smaller venues, such as Natalie’s.
About the Author
Rachel Nace is artist director of Oyo Dance Company.
This article is part of a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council as part of the Art Makes Columbus campaign. Explore a calendar of events, public art database, artist-curated public art tours and stories at columbusmakesart.com. To learn more about GCAC grants visit gcac.org.