Rod Rodgers, a modern-dance choreographer known for dances with an unforced, thoughtful physicality often motivated by social themes expressed with quiet passion, died on Sunday at a Manhattan hospital.

Inevitably, perhaps, many artists have been left out, among them the immensely popular choreographer George Faison and Rod Rodgers, like Mr. Solomons an isolated breakaway choreographer.

Lar Roberson, a dancer who performed in the 1970's with the companies of Martha Graham, Pearl Lang and Rod Rodgers, died on June 21 at his home in Kensington, Calif.

LEAD: The world of Rod Rodgers, a former Erick Hawkins dancer and noted New York choreographer, is a mostly tranquil one.

The evening honored Rod Rodgers, a modern-dance choreographer who died last year.

A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Mr. Pratt started his dancing career in Detroit before coming to New York to work with the troupes of Eleo Pomare, Rod Rodgers and others.

Worked extensively with Rod Rodgers, Kevin Iega Jeff, Lloyd Whitmore, Adrain Bolton, Juan Carlos Rincones, among others.

Rod Rodgers, whose dance company has performed a choreographed tribute to Dr. King in New York City schools for a decade, said he has watched student familiarity with the story of the civil rights movement dim over the years.

She performed with the companies of Jose Limon, Anna Sokolov, Rod Rodgers and Rudy Perez.

Rod Rodgers has a calm yet impassioned way with dance and its rendering of the world about it.