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.
The program featured repeats NIGHT OF THE FLYING HORSES (above: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman)…
…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.
Above: Blake and Sarah, rehearsing
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:
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…
…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:
It was simply great to have Lisa back in the studio…
…and Chris Bloom, on a break from Ballet Hispanico, popped in…
…to dance with Katie Lohiya.
The partnership of Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim developed in leaps and bounds…
…and they are always in good spirits during rehearsal.
Min Kim and Laura DiOrio in company class…
…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:
CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Dona Wiley, Laura Di Orio, Katie Lohiya
CROSSINGS BY RIVER: Katie Lohiya, Laura Di Orio, Lisa Iannacito McBride
GIVING WAY: Brynt Beitman and Blake Hennessy-York
GIVING WAY: Laura Di Orio and Brynt Beitman
TRIO SONATAS: Danny Pigliavento and Katie Lohiya
TRIO SONATAS: Chazz Fenner-McBride and Min Kim
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
This, and my heart beside…: guest artists Mary Beth Hansohn and Peter Chursin were spellbinding
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:
LJD Women: Min Kim, Lisa Iannacito McBride, Laura Di Orio, and Katie Lohiya
~ Oberon
Oberon's Glade 
