Above: the dancers of Lydia Johnson Dance in Lydia Johnson's For Eli; photo by Dmitry Beryzokin
Saturday September 17th, 2022 - Lydia Johnson Dance performing at New York Live Arts in Chelsea. Having missed two New York seasons due to the ongoing pandemic, the Company took the opportunity to appear at NYLA in September rather than wait until their accustomed performance time in the Spring: the dancers of course were anxious to perform again, and guest artist Craig Hall of New York City Ballet fame was available...so: on with the show!
Unfortunately, I was feeling sick and could not attend any of the performances; but I did see all four of the works being presented when I dropped in at a studio rehearsal the previous week. My friend Dmitry Beryozkin photographed the dress rehearsal, and sent me some images. So this is not a review, really, but simply a photo gallery.
The Company were not idle during the long shutdown: they spent a week at Kaatsbaan, where Lydia worked on new creations, they danced (outdoors) in Connecticut, and they gave a warmly-received studio showing at the Martha Graham Studio Westbeth on May 2022, previewing two new works: Glide Path and For Eli.
Glide Path opened tonight's show: it's set to music by the contemporary quartet ETHEL. Here are some of Dmitry's evocative photos from the dress rehearsal of Glide Path:
Minseon Kim and Chazz Fenner-McBride
Katie Lohiya
Chazz Fenner-McBride and Willy Laury
Emily Sarkissian, Minseon Kim, Amanda Egan, Michael Miles, and Michelle L. Siegel
Willy Laury and Laura DiOrio
Laura DiOrio and Willy Laury
Next came For Eli, a poignant work commissioned by New Jersey-based artist Laura Lou Levy, in memory of her pianist-son Eli, who loved playing the music of Frédéric Chopin.
A series of Dmitry Beryozkin's images from For Eli:
Michelle L. Siegel, Michael Miles, Minseon Kim, Amanda Egan, and Laura DiOrio
Willy Laury, Michael Miles, Katie Lohiya, Amanda Egan, and Minseon Kim
Katie Lohiya
Amanda Egan, Emily Sarkissian
Chazz Fenner-McBride and Willy Laury
Following the interval, Craig Hall joined Lydia's dancers for Time...and again, a new work set to Oscar Peterson recordings of jazz standards. This marked a return engagement for the former New York City Ballet star, whose performances in Lydia's haunting Night and Dreams in 2019, dancing with Laura DiOrio, were deeply moving. Craig and Laura have reunited for Time...and again, joined by three other couples for a series of duets.
Photos from this jazz work by Dmitry Beryozkin:
Katie Lohiya and McGee Maddox
Katie & McGee, Amanda & Laura, Minseon & Michael
Laura DiOrio & Craig Hall
'
Craig Hall & Laura DiOrio
Laura & Craig
Amanda Egan & Chazz Fenner-McBride
Katie Lohiya & McGee Maddox
Crag Hall
Katie Lohiya with Michael, Laura, and Willy
The music of Henryk Górecki makes a colossal impression in the evening's concluding work, Undercurrent. Here are some of Dmitry Beryozkin's pictures from this ballet:
McGee Maddox, Chazz Fenner-McBride, and Michael Miles
Students from Lydia's school participated in the finale of Undercurrent
The Company women in swirling red skirts
The full Company onstage
Michael Miles and Minseon Kim, center
Michael Miles and student dancer Stella Weihrauch
Laura DiOrio, aloft, as Undercurrent come to an end
All photos by Dmitry Beryozkin
~ Oberon