e-mail: elu@artslink.co.za
date of birth: 1968.06.17
matriculated from Capital College 1984, Pretoria, South Africa.
Trained in contemporary dance and classical ballet - Pretoria Technicon, South Africa, 1987-1990. From 1992 until 1998 choreographer and dancer ELU worked mostly on his own, developing an individual and specific choreographic vocabulary. He produced several solo pieces and showed on dance festivals in South Africa.
Steven Cohen and ELU met in 1997 while both working on a collective project at the Old Fort Prison in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Steven Cohen is a visual artist and performance artist with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and applied-artworks in many national and corporate collections in South Africa. The artists,one english-speaking Jew, one afrikaans-speaking Pagan, are known for their solo and duo works, presented at Dance Festivals, in Art Galleries and often as unexpected and uninvited Public Interventions.
"The gay white couple Steven Cohen and Elu have broken societal and political taboos in South Africa,with their radical queer performance art. In their projects,which are as anarchic as they are baroque,Steven
Cohen and Elu play with the masks of oppression and desire and report on an unknown post-apartheid South Africa" - catalogue: In Transit, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin June 2002.
The pair has shown in Madagascar, Paris, Canada and Berlin; between them, they have received numerous commissions and awards,including the prestigious FNB VITA National Art Prize in 1998.
Elu and Steven Cohen were invited by choreogapher Régine Chopinot for a one year choreographic research residency, at Ballet Atlantique/Régine Chopinot, La Rochelle, France, from June 2002.
2003
February 6, 7, 8 - I WOULDN'T BE SEEN DEAD IN THAT! -
Ballet Atlantique/Régine Chopinot, Chapelle Fromentin,
La Rochelle, France
February 26,28 - I WOULDN'T BE SEEN DEAD IN THAT! -
FNB Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Johannesburg, South Africa
March 18 - Pan 1, Tristesse-
AIDES île-de-france,Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris,France
2002
March - Broken Bird on the Roof - FNB VITA Dance Umbrella 2002
WITS Theatre, Johannesburg, South Africa
June - Pan 1, Broken Bird (Dance Video), Pan 2-
Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales de Seine
Saint Denis, Bobigny,Paris.
June - Tristesse, Old Pointe Shoe, Broken Bird on the Port, Kudu and Pan (with Steven Cohen)-
Danses du Loin, Ballet Atlantique/Régine Chopinot,Port de Pêche,
La Rochelle,France
June - Dance with nothing but Heart, Tradition (with Steven Cohen)-
In Transit, Performance Festival, House of World Cultures, Berlin
November - Pan 1, Broken Bird (Dance Video), Pan 2 - Metamorphose 2,
16e Rencontres Vidéo Art Plastique 2002,
Centre d'Art Contemporain de Basse-Normandie
2001
Sep - BROKEN BIRD -10 min digital artwork, Jhb Art Gallery, produced from two dance interventions in public
Oct - Pan 1, Pan 2 - guest artist, SANGA Dance Festival, Antananarivo, Madagascar
March - Dance with nothing but heart, FNB Vita Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Johannesburg
2000
The Old Pointe Shoe, Dance Factory, Newtown - A tribute to Wendy David
The Goatfoot God; Pan: Part 1: Beaten Stag
Part 2: Fetish Dance commissioned by FNB VITA Awards For Dance Umbrella 2000 - Wits Theatre, 29 Feb - 2 March
The Goatfoot God; Pan: Part 1 and 2 : Jomba Contemporary Dance Experience, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of Natal
Tradition by Steven Cohen : Jomba Contemporary Dance Experience, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, University of Natal
1999
Tristesse and Sacrum, Fnb VITA Dance Umbrella '99, Wits Theatre
Taught dance workshops in Sebokeng with Caroline Mofokeng and Wendy David,
April
Tristesse, Confluences 2: International Dance Conference - Nico Malan Theatre
Funded by the National Arts Council
Tristesse and Sacrum, FNB VITA Dance Indaba '99, Baxter Theatre
Funded by the National Arts Council
Tradition by Steven Cohen
"A Shuttle Peace" by Anne Crosset, Arts Alive, Dance Factory Sacrum - Arts Alive, Dance Factory
Funded by the National Arts Council
Intersection by Steven Cohen, Arts Alive
Tristesse and Sacrum, FNB Vita Dance Shongololo '99, Playhouse Theatre, Durban
Funded by the National Arts Council
"Calling Elu" by Steven Cohen, Civic Theatre Art Gallery, Jhb
1998
Entrechat, FNB VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Red Right Hand FNB VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Once Upon a High Heel; part 1: DOG co-choreography with Steven Cohen
Performed at FNB VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Entrechat Cape Town Dance Indaba, Baxter Theatre, Cape Town Funded by the National Arts Council
Red Right Hand Cape Town Dance Indaba, Baxter Theatre, Cape Town
Funded by the National Arts Council
Entrechat Durban Dance Festival, Playhouse Theatre Durban
Funded by the National Arts Council
Red Right Hand Durban Dance Festival, Playhouse Theatre, Durban
Funded by the National Arts Council
Once Upon a High Heel; part 1: DOG co-choreography with Steven Cohen
Performed at the Durban Dance Indaba Festival, Playhouse Theatre, Durban
Red Right Hand Arts Alive, Dance Factory, Newtown, Jhb
Tristesse Shuttle 99, Nordic Exchange Programme, Dance Factory, Newtown
1997
A Warrior, a Witch, and their small collection of hat VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Of Trends and other Meaningless Phenomena Arts Alive Festival, Dance Factory
Dr Art's Cell of Love The Johannesburg Fort, Hillbrow, Jhb
The Art of Kissing with Steven Cohen, Arts Alive Street Theatre Festival, subsequently at the Supreme Court, Johannesburg City Centre
How Homeless were My Feet KRUSH art space, Troyeville, Jhb
1996
Which Moves VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Peep-show VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Little Warrior Arts Alive Festival, Dance Factory, Newtown, Jhb
Dr Art and his Amazing Big Black Coat Dance Factory, Newtown, Jhb
The Gift Dance Factory, Newtown, December
1995
Maestro Dance Factory, Newtown, Johannesburg
1994
Petit-dejeuner VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
It was so cruel VITA Dance Umbrella, Wits Theatre, Jhb
Untitled Arts Alive Festival Dance Factory, Newtown
Nachsart Arts Alive Festival, Dance Factory, Newtown, Jhb
1993
Don't drop the formalities, negotiation is in order by Elu, Bruce Mitchell Fine Design
It's all in a day's work and the butterfly Miss South Africa, Carlton Hotel, Johannesburg City Centre
1992
The people's lib and when to pass the ashtray choreographed by Elu, TOM Performance Art, Barclay Square, Pretoria