In 1993 I was introduced to the very basics of the Graham Technique, I learned the sitting positions and a few fundamental stretch exercises and via VHS I was introduced to the choreography of Robert Cohan, the man who brought the Graham technique to the UK and Europe. Cohan worked with Graham herself and was instrumental in the shaping of the technique.

 

By 1997 I was engaged in weekly Graham Classes and studying more Graham based choreographies such as Lamentations, Steps in the Street and Appalachian Spring among others, I was studying at Level 3 at this time and then in 1999 I enrolled on a degree course at NSCD where participation in Graham Technique classes moved from 1 session per week to 5. Here I was also introduced to the work of other practicing artists whose work was either based in the Graham Technique or had departed from it yet still bore traces of the principles; Darshan Sing Bhuller, Philip Taylor, Paul Liburd MBE, Jane Dudley (all former member of London Contemporary Dance Theatre, a Graham based company founded by Robert Cohan) as well as Sharon Watson, are a few of the names. I would later assist Darshan Singh Bhuller in rehearsal and witness first hand the way he uses the Graham Technique to support his choreographic choices.

 

After graduation I joined Phoenix Dance Theatre (PDT), historically PDT had been a Graham based company, I joined under the directorship of Sharon Watson who, in 2009, was perpetuating the companies Graham legacy. In our first season I would encounter Singh Bhuller again, I performed his work Class, a demonstrative lecture of the Graham Technique requiring a thorough understanding of the technique supported by intense coaching in rehearsal. Whilst performing with PDT I went on to perform more work by Sing Bhuller, 2 works by Philip Taylor and several by Watson whilst also performing alongside Liburd on numerous occasions, all of this augmenting my understanding of the Graham Technique.

 

After 5 years with PDT I moved on, started working with Yorke Dance Project and found myself one degree of separation from the late Martha Graham, under the tutelage and rehearsal direction of Robert Cohan himself, the afore mentioned man who brought the technique to the UK. I received coaching from Cohan in order to perform several of his works (including ones I has studied in 1992-1995 and a new work made in his 90th year) and also lecture demonstrations, in this period I received further coaching from Liburd in collaboration with Cohan. Below is footage of Cohans 90th birthday celebration where I performed Lingua Franca which Cohan reworked for the event.

 

Here are links to a short commentary on Singh Bhullers Class, a later work by him, Mapping, and again the performance of Cohans Lingua Franca.                    .

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