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Creator
Cohen, Selma Jeanne, 1920-2005
Call number
(S) *MGZMD 62
Physical description
3 document boxes 96 folders
Language
English
Preferred Citation

Selma Jeanne Cohen Papers, (S)*MGZMD 62, Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Selma Jeanne Cohen is an author, editor, lecturer, and teacher, and the records of several of her teaching projects comprise the bulk of this collection. From 1965-1969, at the Connecticut College School of Dance, (which became the American Dance Festival in 1969), she taught or lectured on dance history or writing on dance, classes which were open to all students at the summer school. The Critics' Conferences, 1970-1972, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and held during the Connecticut College - American Dance Festivals, were for a select group of professional critics, to train them in “the skills of describing and evaluating dance.” The National Critics Institutes were sponsored by the O'Neill Foundation, to provide “intensive on-the-job training for young critics,” and Cohen taught there during the summers of 1969, 1971 and 1972.

Biographical/historical information

Selma Jeanne Cohen was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1920. She received an A.A. degree from Stephens College and an A.B., M.A., and Ph.D. (in English) from the University of Chicago. She received her dance education from Edna McRae, Eugene Loring, Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, and Jose Limon. She has been active as an author, editor, lecturer, and teacher.

Cohen was managing and associate editor of the monograph Dance Perspectivesfrom its founding in 1960 until 1965 and editor from 1965 until its demise in 1976. She is the author of articles in numerous publications, journals, encyclopedias, and anthologies. She is also the author or editor of numerous books, including The Modern Dance: Seven Statements of Belief(1966), Doris Humphrey, An Artist First(1972), and Next Week, Swan Lake: Reflections on Dance and Dancers(1982).

Cohen has taught courses in dance history and critical writing at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada. She was Founder-Director of the University of Chicago Seminars in Dance History (1974-1976), a three-week course which was the first intensive seminar on dance history. She was Founder-Director of the Connecticut College American Dance Festival Critics' Conferences (1970-1972), which she began as a forum to permit professional dance critics from around the country to discuss common artistic and journalistic problems, to develop writing skills, and to attend a range of dance performances.

Among the awards and honors received by Cohen have been a Rockefeller Foundation Research Grant (1969), the Professional Achievement Award, University of Chicago (1974), the American Dance Guild Award (1976), and the Dance Magazine Award (1981). She was a charter member of the Dance Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts (1966-1971).

Selma Jeanne Cohen is currently the editor of the first comprehensive multi-volume reference work on dance, the International Encyclopedia of Dance,to be published by Charles Scribner's Sons.

Scope and arrangement

Selma Jeanne Cohen is an author, editor, lecturer, and teacher, and the records of several of her teaching projects comprise the bulk of this collection. From 1965-1969, at the Connecticut College School of Dance, (which became the American Dance Festival in 1969), she taught or lectured on dance history or writing on dance, classes which were open to all students at the summer school. The Critics' Conferences, 1970-1972, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and held during the Connecticut College - American Dance Festivals, were for a select group of professional critics, to train them in “the skills of describing and evaluating dance.” The National Critics Institutes were sponsored by the O'Neill Foundation, to provide “intensive on-the-job training for young critics,” and Cohen taught there during the summers of 1969, 1971 and 1972.|||Throughout the Folder List, SJC refers to Selma Jeanne Cohen.

The Selma Jeanne Cohen papers relating to teaching/critical writing projects are arranged in four series:

  • I. Connecticut College School of Dance and American Dance Festival

    The Connecticut College School of Dance - American Dance Festival Series (I, 14 folders) contains correspondence with the college (arranged chronologically), some writings of the students, and various brochures, schedules of classes and events, rosters, and minutes of faculty meetings. There are also lists of dance films which were used to make selections for a film series.

  • II. Connecticut College American Dance Festival - Critics' Conferences

    The Connecticut College Americal Dance Festival - Critics' Conferences Series (II, 69 folders) is subdivided chronologically by year. It includes correspondence with the college and the sponsor, arranged chronologically, and it contains folders on each participant, arranged alphabetically by name. Under each participant, the “Application” subseries usually contains correspondence arranged chronologically, the application form, letters of recommendation, and examples of the applicant's critical writing which often includes published reviews of dance performances. The “Writings” subseries contains assignments written during the conference and often clippings of reviews published during that time.

  • III. O'Neill Foundation - National Critics Institute

    The O'Neill Foundation - National Critics Institute Series (III, 12 folders) is subdivided by years. It contains some correspondence, arranged chronologically, and writing assignments by the students, arranged alphabetically by name.

  • IV. Alverno College - Symposium on Careers in Dance

    The Alverno College - Symposium on Careers in Dance Series (IV, 1 folder) contains only a few items of correspondence about Cohen's participation in 1972 and a letter of agreement.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of Selma Jeanne Cohen. Received: 1973.

Processing information

Processed by Henley Haslam.

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor