From Lydia Johnson Dance School:
The not-for-profit community based dance program linked to Lydia Johnson Dance’s professional company is offering 3 Nutcracker Workshops for young dancers including Mommy/ Daddy and Me (2- 3 yrs.), Preschool/Kindergarten 3-5 yrs.) and First thru Fourth Grades. Choose Sunday December 4 or 18. Classes taught by LJD Principal Dancer Laura Di Orio and held at The Burgdorff Center in Maplewood where LJD is Dance Company in Residence and partners with Maplewood Arts & Culture.
Children will dance to the beautiful musical themes of the Tchaikovsky score while exploring the characters in this famous ballet from a modern perspective. The class will include discussion of the story line and the emotional tone of the characters as the story evolves. LJD School’s creative approach to dance education includes opportunities for every child to create movement to this beautiful music.
The professional company recently held its 2022 New York Season at New York Live Arts, which was recommended in The New York Times. Writing about one of the 3 premieres, Jerry Hochman in Critical Dance commented
“Johnson converts a worthy subject into a thing of simple truth and transcendent beauty.”
Students at the LJD School study ballet with Company Principal Laura Di Orio who danced this year for the second season with Guest Artist Craig Hall from New York City Ballet. Mr. Hochman comments:
“Like other members of the company, Di Orio, another LJD Principal, has significant ballet training and experience, and it shows. She proved to be a good choreographic match for Hall; the two of them breezed through their duets with panache, a touch of elegance, and palpable pleasure. And Hall, whose NYCB performances I recall well, has lost none of the engaging quality that made him an audience favorite.”
Principal LJD dancer and ballet instructor Laura Di Orio with her children
For more info:
www.lydiajohnsondanceschool.com
Email: ljdanceschool@gmail.com or Lydia@lydiajohnsondance.org
