In addition to his presence in the jazz and world-music scenes Haggai often collaborates with choreographers, dancers and dance companies. The interactions and collectiveness in these relationships feed Haggai’s original passion for making music; connectivity. Haggai has taught as a visiting instructor at Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco for the training and BFA program teaching Dance+Music improvisation and Music Appreciation. He composed scores for the San Jose Dance Company and Lines Ballet programs, among others. For the better part of the last decade his focus of working with the dance world is driven by the goal of achieving a common language for improvisation between the mediums. His works Sounds and Signs and Mother Tongue particularly represents this unique endeavor, dubbed MakeSpeak.
Selected Dance Projects
Jephta’s Daughter
Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, Germany
Nov. 2014 – July 2015
A new dance theater creation by choreographer and director Saar Magal, produced by the Bayerische Staatsoper, will premier at the Munich Opernfestspiele in July 2015. Haggai Cohen-Milo, musical director, introduces and utilizes his original method MakeSpeak in the creation process of the piece. Haggai will also participate on stage as part of the musical ensemble.
In their creation process of Jephta’s Daughter choreographer Saar Magal and Haggai Cohen-Milo are taking a bold step towards the interdisciplinary performance world. Together they are embarking into a tightly woven collaboration of movement, sound and visual art. Creating the freedom for each medium to be interdependent not only for the end result but throughout the entire process of creation. The three disciplines showcased in the performance constantly inform each other and fundamentally change the way sound, movement and visual art is being conceived.
Haggai will be composing an original score for the piece together with his composition ensemble of Mateo Lugo and James shipp, as well as bringing in element of the MakeSpeak method which will be a part of the work process and the performance itself.
MakeSpeak Workshop
Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn, NY
April 2014
An open two-day MakeSpeak workshop at the Mark Morris Dance center, taught by Haggai Cohen-Milo with Mateo Lugo.
During the workshop participants acquire a toolbox for intra and cross medium improvisation. Using a uniquely designed praxis, makespeak instills a state of hyper awareness and provides definitive tools for navigating, influencing and communicating in an improvisational situation among multiple mediums. During the workshop dancers experienced the working of MakeSpeak in different settings; from one-on-one with a musician, through small mixed groups, to full ensemble.
Rubber Day
San Jose Dance Company, San Jose, CA
October 2013
Haggai composed an original string orchestra score, for a new dance piece by San Francisco based choreographer Kara Davis. The piece premiered by the San Jose Dance Co. and was conducted by Barbara Day. Kara and Haggai have been collaborating since 2011 on different projects including on many performances, workshops, and class teaching.
Music, score and video excerpts are available upon request, please use the contact page.