TheLondon Contemporary Dance Theatre (LCDT) was acontemporary dance company, based atThe Place, founded byRobin Howard withRobert Cohan as its Artistic Director.[1]
Founded in 1967, and strongly influenced by the ideas of American modern and postmodern dance artistsMartha Graham andMerce Cunningham, the company was probably the first contemporary dance company in the UK, and played a pioneering role in developing the art form in that country.
Choreographers such asSiobhan Davies,Christopher Bannerman andMicha Bergese, worked alongside composers likeBarrington Pheloung to create new works which were performed at theSadler's Wells Theatre and toured the UK and internationally.
Well-known works created by the company include:
LCDT won the 1975Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Achievement In Ballet andOlivier Awards on three occasions: in 1978,[2] 1989–1990[3] and 1994.[4]
Cohan retired as LCDT's full-time artistic director in 1983 after the company’s successful first appearance at theBrooklyn Academy of Music in New York. He remained with the company on a half-yearly basis. Both Dan Wagoner, American dancer/choreographer, and Nancy Duncan, producer, then undertook the artistic directorship.[1]
The company closed in 1994 when The Place refocused its work, creating theRichard Alston Dance Company, and developing a bigger presenting programme for theRobin Howard Dance Theatre.
London Contemporary Dance School was originally conceived to train dancers for the company, and awarded its first degree in practical dance in 1982. The School is still in operation as part of The Place.
Winner: Robert Cohan — Artistic Director, London Contemporary Dance Theatre, at Sadler's Wells
Winner: London Contemporary Dance Theatre for Kim Brandstrup'sOrfeo
Winner: The dancers of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre for their season at Sadler's Wells
