Oberon's Glade

Tag: Blake Hennessy

  • Lydia Johnson Dance ~ Retrospective – Part IV

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    Above: dancers Blake Hennessy-York and Sarah Pon after a rehearsal

    The 2016 season marked a transitional period for Lydia Johnson Dance: the roster of the Company was evolving. Their annual New York City performances took place in March rather than June.

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    The program featured repeats NIGHT OF THE FLYING HORSES (above: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman)…

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    …and GIVING WAY (with guest artist Riccardo Battaglia and Blake Hennessy-York), plus a new jazz piece, HINDSIGHT, which quickly disappeared from the repertoire. Performance photos from the 2016 performance by Nir Arieli.

    But the sad news was that the 2016 season marked the last performances with the Company of Sarah Pon and Blake Hennessy-York, who had decided to move to California. In their seasons with Lydia Johnson Dance, they made their mark in every ballet they danced in, and for their farewell they encored their outstanding performance in WHAT COUNTS.

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    Above: Blake and Sarah, rehearsing

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    The great outdoors: Brynt Beitman and Laura Di Orio in a pas de deux from NIGHT OF THE FLYING HORSES.

    As rehearsals for 2017 began, the Company roster was much changed from when I first connected with Lydia Johnson Dance. But some surprises were in store:

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    Lisa Iannacito McBride (in black, rehearsing with Laura Di Orio and Katie Lohiya, above ) returned as a guest artist to dance the role she had created in CROSSINGS BY RIVER…

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    …and, incredibly, Blake and Sarah came in from the West Coast to dance the roles made on them in GIVING WAY.

    This was an especially happy time to be part of the extended LJD family, and privy to rehearsals:

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    It was simply great to have Lisa back in the studio…

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    …and Chris Bloom, on a break from Ballet Hispanico, popped in…

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    …to dance with Katie Lohiya.

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    The partnership of Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim developed in leaps and bounds…

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    …and they are always in good spirits during rehearsal.

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    Min Kim and Laura DiOrio in company class…

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    …and Laura rehearsing with Dona Wiley, who was just joining the Company.

    The performances in June 2017 were given at New York Live Arts in Chelsea. The program was especially strong, with two new ballets: TRIO SONATAS, set to Handel, and This, and my heart beside… one of Lydia’s most personal works, to music by Philip Glass. The all-female CROSSINGS BY RIVER made a welcome return to the repertoire, and a repeat of the previous season’s GIVING WAY was handsomely danced.

    Photos from the 2017 season by Nir Arieli:

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    CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Dona Wiley, Laura Di Orio, Katie Lohiya

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    CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Katie Lohiya, Laura Di Orio, Lisa Iannacito McBride

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    GIVING WAY: Brynt Beitman and Blake Hennessy-York

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    GIVING WAY: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman

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    TRIO SONATAS: Danny Pigliavento and Katie Lohiya

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    TRIO SONATAS: Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim

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    This, and my heart beside…: Sara Spangler and Katie Lohiya. Sara, a young dancer from Lydia Johnson’s school, made a lovely impression in this ballet

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    This, and my heart beside…: guest artists Mary Beth Hansohn and Peter Chursin were spellbinding

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    This, and my heart beside…: Danny Pigliavento and Katie Lohiya. Their partnership has a poignant lyricism.

    Among the many photos from the rehearsal period for the 2017 season, this is a particular favorite of mine, though it’s not in the studio:

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    LJD Women: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Laura Di Orio, and Katie Lohiya

    ~ Oberon

  • Lydia Johnson Dance ~ Retrospective – Part IV

    12814347_10153470036923526_6316221232388951043_n

    Above: dancers Blake Hennessy-York and Sarah Pon after a rehearsal

    The 2016 season marked a transitional period for Lydia Johnson Dance: the roster of the Company was evolving. Their annual New York City performances took place in March rather than June.

    1557492_10153524522403526_5171198097577764693_n

    The program featured repeats NIGHT OF THE FLYING HORSES (above: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman)…

    12919846_10153544176833526_1349054394289731279_n

    …and GIVING WAY (with guest artist Riccardo Battaglia and Blake Hennessy-York), plus a new jazz piece, HINDSIGHT, which quickly disappeared from the repertoire. Performance photos from the 2016 performance by Nir Arieli.

    But the sad news was that the 2016 season marked the last performances with the Company of Sarah Pon and Blake Hennessy-York, who had decided to move to California. In their seasons with Lydia Johnson Dance, they made their mark in every ballet they danced in, and for their farewell they encored their outstanding performance in WHAT COUNTS.

    12795446_10153465792028526_1062266244066689420_n

    Above: Blake and Sarah, rehearsing

    13466415_10153719315028526_8461955679054400303_n

    The great outdoors: Brynt Beitman and Laura Di Orio in a pas de deux from NIGHT OF THE FLYING HORSES.

    As rehearsals for 2017 began, the Company roster was much changed from when I first connected with Lydia Johnson Dance. But some surprises were in store:

    14962741_10209103893208493_969022386819372478_n

    Lisa Iannacito McBride (in black, rehearsing with Laura Di Orio and Katie Lohiya, above ) returned as a guest artist to dance the role she had created in CROSSINGS BY RIVER…

    304693_10151080994803526_1597229455_n

    …and, incredibly, Blake and Sarah came in from the West Coast to dance the roles made on them in GIVING WAY.

    This was an especially happy time to be part of the extended LJD family, and privy to rehearsals:

    14910487_10209103950009913_2521372843909942851_n

    It was simply great to have Lisa back in the studio…

    13413575_10207863587761632_4515039308130984208_n

    …and Chris Bloom, on a break from Ballet Hispanico, popped in…

    13445820_10207863589441674_4606341104290949215_n

    …to dance with Katie Lohiya.

    13428441_10207863588281645_2737574780800113738_n

    The partnership of Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim developed in leaps and bounds…

    12813995_10153470036548526_39574393432111450_n

    …and they are always in good spirits during rehearsal.

    14333563_10153940627643526_3763133290813763056_n

    Min Kim and Laura DiOrio in company class…

    14953887_10209107714824031_8927625525154349393_n

    …and Laura rehearsing with Dona Wiley, who was just joining the Company.

    The performances in June 2017 were given at New York Live Arts in Chelsea. The program was especially strong, with two new ballets: TRIO SONATAS, set to Handel, and This, and my heart beside… one of Lydia’s most personal works, to music by Philip Glass. The all-female CROSSINGS BY RIVER made a welcome return to the repertoire, and a repeat of the previous season’s GIVING WAY was handsomely danced.

    Photos from the 2017 season by Nir Arieli:

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    CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Dona Wiley, Laura Di Orio, Katie Lohiya

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    CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Katie Lohiya, Laura Di Orio, Lisa Iannacito McBride

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    GIVING WAY: Brynt Beitman and Blake Hennessy-York

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    GIVING WAY: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman

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    TRIO SONATAS: Danny Pigliavento and Katie Lohiya

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    TRIO SONATAS: Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim

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    This, and my heart beside…: Sara Spangler and Katie Lohiya. Sara, a young dancer from Lydia Johnson’s school, made a lovely impression in this ballet

    6a00d8341c4e3853ef01bb09a7f8b9970d-800wi

    This, and my heart beside…: guest artists Mary Beth Hansohn and Peter Chursin were spellbinding

    6a00d8341c4e3853ef01bb09a7f908970d-800wi

    This, and my heart beside…: Danny Pigliavento and Katie Lohiya. Their partnership has a poignant lyricism.

    Among the many photos from the rehearsal period for the 2017 season, this is a particular favorite of mine, though it’s not in the studio:

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    LJD Women: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Laura Di Orio, and Katie Lohiya

    ~ Oberon

  • Lydia Johnson’s WHAT COUNTS on Vimeo

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    Above: Blake Hennessy-York and Sarah Pon of Lydia Johnson Dance rehearsing WHAT COUNTS

    A hit at its New York City premiere performances in June, 2015, choreographer Lydia Johnson’s WHAT COUNTS is now available for watching on Vimeo. Tune in here.

    The jazzy score comes to us from The Bad Plus, and the ballet is performed by a quintet of Lydia Johnson Dance’s distinctive dancers: Sarah Pon, Blake Hennessy-York, Laura DiOrio, Katie Martin-Lohiya, and Chazz Fenner-McBride.  

  • Lydia Johnson’s WHAT COUNTS on Vimeo

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    Above: Blake Hennessy-York and Sarah Pon of Lydia Johnson Dance rehearsing WHAT COUNTS

    A hit at its New York City premiere performances in June, 2015, choreographer Lydia Johnson’s WHAT COUNTS is now available for watching on Vimeo. Tune in here.

    The jazzy score comes to us from The Bad Plus, and the ballet is performed by a quintet of Lydia Johnson Dance’s distinctive dancers: Sarah Pon, Blake Hennessy-York, Laura DiOrio, Katie Martin-Lohiya, and Chazz Fenner-McBride.  

  • Afternoon Salon @ Lydia Johnson Dance

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    Above: Lydia Johnson Dance‘s Brynt Beitman, Laura DiOrio, Blake Hennessy-York, and Sarah Pon; photo by Dmitry Beryozkin

    Sunday January 25th, 2015 – Lydia Johnson Dance offering another event in their Salon Series this afternoon at the Gelsey Kirkland studios; arriving guests got to watch part of a Company class led by the Australian dancer/actor Reed Luplau; excerpts from Lydia Johnson’s danceworks (including a work-in-progress) were performed by the Company, followed by a discussion of the influence of classical ballet on the performing of contemporary dance.

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    Reed Luplau (above) performed with Lydia Johnson Dance in 2012, dancing in Lydia’s SUMMER HOUSE and CHANGE OF HEART, and he continues to work with LJD in a teaching role. In 2013, Reed had a principal role in the award-winning film FIVE DANCES. He is currently in rehearsal to reprise the role of Bosie (which he created) in Theodore Morrison’s opera OSCAR with Opera Philadelphia. 

    Images from Reed’s Company class: 

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    Above: Chazz McBride and Oliver Swan-Jackson take a flying leap; Oliver has just signed on with Lydia Johnson Dance 

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    Above: appearing for the first time with Lydia Johnson Dance, Katie Keith Dettling and Grant Dettling have had only a couple of LJD rehearsals to date but they very kindly agreed to be part of today’s Salon presentation

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    Above: Reed Luplau

    The first of the afternoon’s danced excerpts were then presented: from WHAT COUNTS, set to jazz-based music by The Bad Plus. Here are some moments from this work, which is set for five dancers:

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    Above: Girl’s trio – Sarah Pon, Laura DiOrio, Katie Lohiya

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    Lift: Chazz Mcbride, Sarah Pon, Blake Hennessy-York

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    All that jazz…Katie…

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    …Chazz…

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    …Sarah…

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    …Laura.

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    Central to WHAT COUNTS is a pas de deux danced by Blake Hennessy-York and Sarah Pon (above).

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    Blake and Sarah were married in September 2013; there’s a gorgeous portfolio of their wedding photos – some of which I’d never see before! – here.

    BARRETTS MILL ROAD: A REMEMBRANCE is Lydia’s lyrically nostalgic 2013 dancework set to piano works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Katie Keith Dettling and Grant Dettling – another married couple! – performed an excerpt from this work today, having only just begun working on it a few days earlier. They showed the serene confidence of beautifully-trained dancers, accustomed to dancing together:

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    The afternoon’s final dance offering was of excerpts from a new work-in-progress which uses music by  Mark Mellits and Osvaldo Golijov. Calling fora  large ensemble, the piece features a lot of partnered sequences. Here are some images from this new creation:

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    Brynt Beitman, Laura DiOrio, Blake Hennessy-York, Sarah Pon, Chazz Mcbride, Min Kim

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    Chazz Mcbride, Min Kim

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    Brynt Beitman, Blake Hennessy-York

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    Chazz and Min

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    Chazz and Min

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    Chazz and Min

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    Brynt, Laura, Blake, Sara

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    Laura, Brynt, Sarah, Blake

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    Sarah and Blake

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    Above: At the end of the presentation, the dancers posed for a photo with Lydia Johnson Dance founding Board member Rayna Pomper who, with her husband Marc, held the first party in support of LJD 15 years ago. Left to right: Min Kim, Chazz Mcbride, Laura DiOrio, Katie Keith Dettling, Grant Dettling, Ms. Pomper, Oliver Swan-Jackson, Katie Lohiya, Blake Hennessy-York, Sarah Pon, Brynt Beitman, and Reed Luplau. 

    All photography by Dmitry Beryozkin.

    The works performed today will be seen on February 28th, 2015, when Lydia Johnson Dance appear at the South Orange Performing Arts Center in New Jersey. Details here.  

  • Lydia Johnson Dance: Returning to Newport

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    Above: Sarah Pon and Blake Hennessy-York of Lydia Johnson Dance

    Sunday July 13th, 2014 – Lydia Johnson Dance will have a return engagement at the Great Friends Dance Festival in Newport, RI performing on July 18th, 19th, and 20th, 2014. Details of the festival here.

    For these performances, Lydia has created a new work entitled WHAT COUNTS set to two songs by The Bad Plus: ‘Seven Minute Mind‘ (danced by a trio of women) and ‘For My Eyes Only‘ (a pas de deux). Today I stopped in at Lydia’s studio where she was putting the finishing touches on what is still a work-in-progress; in fact, she is considering adding a third section…but for now, it’s a two-movement dancework that will travel to Newport.

    The music is jazz-oriented and really appealing, and Lydia has set it in her unique balletic style with a particularly pleasing stylized quality. More than anything, the ballet reminded me of Balanchine’s classic APOLLO, in part because it features a single man and three women and also because the music has a Stravinskyian tinge to it.

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    Sarah Pon, Laura DiOrio and Katie Martin Lohiya

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    Trio

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    Blake and Sarah: duet

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    Final pose