From Lydia Johnson Dance School:
Lydia Johnson Dance (LJD) School is excited to announce that its summer program for 2026 will again be a full-day Dance + Art Camp, in partnership with the studio art program Mobile Makers. LJD School will also offer a Teen Dance Week during the week of July 13-17 (see below). The camp will run from 9:00am to 3:30pm at St. Andrew’s Church in South Orange, during the weeks of July 6-10 and July 13-17. The full-day camp is open to 6 years and up through early high school. Teen Internships, similar to CIT and counselor positions, are available.
Artistic Director Lydia Johnson comments, “Our annual camp is known for a warm, noncompetitive atmosphere and for providing an unparalleled experience of studying with current dance professionals, many from NYC.”
Children and teens interested in dance, choreography and art will study with LJD’s professional dancers in the morning and after lunch take an art class with Allegra Baldwin of Mobile Makers. The Camp traditionally includes summer events like a weekly pizza day, dance parties, movement games, music sessions and outdoor snack and lunch.
Allegra Baldwin of Mobile Makers says, “Mobile Makers is thrilled to partner with LJD’s Dance + Art Camp. Our approach is as an adventurous and creative studio where students discover what it means to create their own art.”
LJD School will also offer a Teen Dance Week during the week of July 13-17, when teen dancers will train with Guest Artists, principal dancers and NYC teaching professionals, as well as create their own choreography.
LJD’s esteemed programs are all linked to the critically acclaimed professional company with Company dancers teaching ballet and modern dance and renowned New York Guest Artists providing workshops. The LJD School received a recent Maplewood Foundation Grant to support programs for the teen level Student Company. The LJD professional and student companies are honored to be performing at The Maplewood Foundation’s 2026 gala on January 10!
Johnson’s unique choreography curriculum for kids and teens springs from her own work. Her choreography has been critically acclaimed by The New Yorker, which stated, “Johnson is a craftsman and a poet.” Dance writer and scholar Marina Harss commented, “Johnson is adept at capturing the beauty and pathos in music. She translates harmony and texture into a narrative of human intimacy and empathy.” The New York Times commented, “What seems to count most for Ms. Johnson is music. The four pieces all showed uncommon skill at matching ballet movement to music, both at the large scale of structure and in small, felicitous details.”
Registration is open for rising first graders (at least 6 years old) and up through early high school teens. Space is limited. The camp will run July 6-10 and July 13-17 – families can sign up for one or both weeks. As a nonprofit, LJD gives $20,000 annually in Scholarships and is committed to allowing every child who wants to study dance to attend. Email to inquire about Scholarships, sibling discounts and payment plans: [email protected]
For more information on LJD School’s 2026 Dance + Art Camp, visit the school’s website.
