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Frances Cohen Obituary
Phoenix - Frances Smith Cohen, wife, mother, teacher, dancer and choreographer, died peacefully surrounded by family on May 14, 2019 from complications following a heart attack. She is survived by her brother Jack, children Sam, Jeffrey and Rachel, grandchildren Andrea, Eliana and Jeremy, and dog Einstein.
Frances Smith Cohen was a graduate from Tucson High School and Bennington College in Vermont. She moved to Tucson in the 1930s from Elizabeth, New Jersey and lived in Tucson, the Washington, D.C. metro area twice, and Phoenix.
She served as Dance Director at the Tucson Jewish Community Center for eighteen years and directed the first touring dance company in Arizona, the Kadimah Dancers. In 1963, Frances helped create the Arizona Dance Arts Alliance and in 1972 she co-founded the dance program at the University of Arizona.
Frances served as Director of Opera at George Washington University from 1981 to 1986 and was the recipient of a National Opera Institute grant where she toured regional opera companies as a choreographer and assistant director. Frances began Wolf Trap in Arizona which places performing artists in Head Start classrooms and has served as Regional Director for this program since 1986. Frances was Artistic Director of Center Dance Ensemble - the resident dance company at Herberger Theater Center. Working with Susan Silverman, she also created Dance Theater West in Phoenix - the academy of Center Dance Ensemble and Story Book Ballet Theater. Frances was honored with the Outstanding Artist Fellowship Award for Choreography from the Maryland State Arts Council and is the proud recipient of the 1994 Arizona Governor's Outstanding Artist Award, 2004 Women Who Care Lifetime Achievement Award, and 2010 Childsplay's Pied Piper Award for her contributions to arts education. She was one of only ten recipients to receive the Arizona Cultural Keepers Award in celebration of Arizona's 100th birthday. Frances Smith Cohen was co-author of "Dance Essential Skills" and "Performing Dance Standards" for the Arizona Department of Education.
Frances and late husband Marvin were both honored with many accolades for their involvement, support and growth of the arts over the course of their lives. In that spirit, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, friends donate to their favorite performing arts organization in memory of Frances Cohen. A memorial will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Sinai Mortuary.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Frances Cohen
Sponsored by Sinai Mortuary of AZ.
John Wilson
May 13, 2020
Dear Sam, Rachel and Jeff We continue to think of you and dear Fran and Marvin often. We recall fun times at Thanksgiving, picnicking up Mount Lemon, piano lessons, box games and of course wonderful, wild rehearsals and performances! Fran's image and spirit pop up and any and all odd times - laughing, hustling, directing - sometimes impossible lifts that somehow Sandra and I would manage to achieve (more or less!) -she loved it and so did we. Diane, Sean, Karen, and Mike join me in wishing health and joyful lives for you. That's what Fran and Marvin and "Non" wish for you, too.
Love always, John
October 10, 2019
I just heard that Fran passed away. Oh my....memories.... I met Fran years ago in az. We shared much in dance. She was passionate about dance, a great teacher,choreographer, compassionate human being....a loving person. I see her soul up there, dancing with the other beams of light.....spreading her kindness. Memories of her forever.
Elayne Nueman
Judy Pettet
June 16, 2019
I just heard the news and I send my condolences to F Fran's family.
I am overwhelmed with memories. Fran was my teacher at the University of Arizona, and what a force she was: passionate, energizing, challenging, giving, forgiving, embracing us all. She was a mother and a friend and a mentor, and she had such a great sense of humor and such exuberance. Fran was the dance. I will never forget her.
John Wilson
June 15, 2019
Dear Fran - Diane and I have adored you since we first met you, Marvin, Nonny, Sam, Jeff, and Rachel in 19r 74. I was thrilled and honored to dance the powerful roles in you concert dances. We had such fun and worked so hard - I loved every minute of it. Wherever you are now, dance, dance, dance the joys and sorrows you so deeply felt and understood.
Love always - John, the Mandarin and the king of great Russia.
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June 6, 2019
Frances was a friend from Tucson High and a dance
teacher for my daughter Kathy from age 7 to a dance major at the U of A Many memories of Frances and Marvin when they lived in Tucson
My condolences to her family Joan Hirsh Rosenbluth
June 1, 2019
thank you for being a great neighbor greg
Dee Strickland Johnson
May 27, 2019
O, my darling Rachel, Sam, Jeffrey:
I have learned only today of your mother's passing, though I had heard from Howard about the heart attack and the coma.
My heart is deeply saddened. What a huge impression Fran had on my life! How I treasure the notebooks with pictures of the shows we did together. I remember the first time I met her. She had called the UofA Drama Department to see if Peter Morroney knew a folk singer. We met at a restaurant in Tucson. She was pregnant with Rachel. She told me about wanting to do "Dark of the Moon." When I read the script I asked if I could change the music -- pretty corny it was. She agreed and explained that she would get a narrator to explain the plot. She gave her permission to let me try. I was washing dishes one day when these words came into my mind:
"Barbry Allen borned her baby, did you hear? Did you hear? Barby Allen borned her baby, did you hear?" I dried my hands and hastened to write the words down. Other lines came "Come a fire on the mountain at the moment it was borned.! There's a fire on Old Baldy burnin' bright!"
I called a new acquaintance, Bob Stevenson who had acted in several movies. He agreed to come over and I gave him several pages to read. He said, "This is good! Where did it come from?" I answered, "Just read it, Bob!" I needed another voice. His wife Helen was doing something in my kitchen. I told Bob I could use her. He said, "She's not an actress!" The heck she wasn't! Her lovely alto voice was that of a witch girl. I took the recording to your mother. She asked "What is it?"
and as she listened I saw her foot begin to move with the rhythm of the words. She said, "I could move to this!" And she did. And she brought a whole new dimension to my life!
I would like to tell you about the musicians, including your dear father, as well as Phil, and Don and Bill, but I'm sure you have heard enough of me. Just know that something very important has gone out of my life. I love you all!
Dee
Sandra Cook
May 27, 2019
Thank you Fran for many wonderful and memorable years as a Kadimah Dancer. Thanks to you, I am still dancing.
Rest in Peace!
Paula Dawson Sternke
May 23, 2019
Loving memories of Fran over many years teaching my daughter from the age of 3 thru high school. I especially remember her getting my son involved in a class after his first open heart surgery at the age of 5.... She was a precious gift in my children's and our family's lives!
Pace Family
May 22, 2019
Such a lovely, vibrant person! So many students were blessed with wonderful opportunities to perform because of her. We will imagine her smiling and dancing in a beautiful, new place.
May 19, 2019
Fran was the best teacher I ever had. She was a loving caring human being as well as talented. It never went to her head.
Herbert Kaufman
May 17, 2019
R.I.P. Fran. We all miss you.
Jennifer Fadeley
May 16, 2019
Thank you Mrs Cohen for all you taught my daughters. They loved learning from you and you inspired them to be better people.
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