Jon Lehrer Dance Company To Present The World Premiere of THROUGH THE STORM, May 6

The CUNY Dance Initiative and the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College announce a performance by Jon Lehrer Dance Company featuring the world premiere of Through The Storm, a full company work set to an original score by composer Zeno Pittarelli.

The program will include additional works, including four New York City premieres. The performance will take place on Friday, May 6, 2022 at 7pm at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater, John Jay College, 524 W 59th St, New York, NY. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.jonlehrerdance.com.

Jon Lehrer Dance Company (JLDC)'s trademark artistic, athletic, and accessible style is known for striking the elusive balance between art and entertainment. Taking the energy and chaos of a storm as inspiration, Through The Storm represents the past two years of struggle, hardship, but most of all the creativity and perseverance artists held on to throughout the pandemic. Visually stunning, evocative, and physically impressive, Through The Storm will be performed both internationally and nationally as part of JLDC's 22/23 season following the premiere. The program also highlights the range of JLDC's repertory with four New York City premieres (full details below).

JLDC is freshly off a successful four-week European tour where the company "captivated the audience with its grandiose choreography and the ensemble's top dance performance without fail. Dynamism, elegance, acrobatics, power and an absolute passion for dance - these are the attributes that could be used to describe the performance." (Zollern-Alb Kurier - Balingen, Germany)

Program

"Through The Storm" (2022) - world premiere

A full company work set to an original score by Zeno Pittarelli.

"Sum of Us" (2021) - New York premiere

An upbeat showcase for the dancers as individuals and as a strong, cohesive group.

"Murmur" (2012) - New York premiere

A lyrically infused quartet based on the phenomenon of murmuration and quantum entanglement.

"Pulp" (2016) - New York premiere

Inspired by the silent films of Buster Keaton and Scooby-Doo cartoons, this zany romp highlights the company's theatrical comedic side.

"Hearth" (2010) - New York premiere

Performed by JLDC Apprentices, this work was inspired by the many strong, caring, and remarkable women in Jon Lehrer's life.

"Solstice"(2019)

A joyous, uplifting tribute to the first day of Summer, commissioned by Artpark in Lewiston, NY for their "Summer Solstice Celebration."

Jon Lehrer Dance Company (JLDC) began in 2007 in Buffalo, NY and has been based in NYC since 2019. Under Jon Lehrer's artistic direction, the company showcases his unique choreography and definitive style. Jon's extensive background in both the modern and jazz dance idioms fosters choreography that is organic, artistic, accessible and often humorous, reflecting life experience and the human condition. Dance Magazine praised "the company took the house not so much by storm as by quantum physics," and Galerie Ortenau in Offenburg, Germany declares, "Dynamic, Powerful, Elegant - brings an absolute passion for the dance." The company was brought to Russia from 2012-2016 sponsored by the US State Department in order to, as they said, "bring the best in American modern dance to the people of Russia." JLDC tours worldwide, to Europe every other year, and made their 4th trip in January 2022 for another world premiere performance.

JLDC's expressive technique and style is a combination of modern, jazz, and physics. It is based on three main elements of movement - Circularity, 3-Dimensionality, and Momentum, which combine to create a form that is best described as "Organically Athletic." Jon Lehrer Dance Company is dedicated to maintaining the impact of dance through performance, education, outreach, community involvement, and collaboration. The professional dancers of JLDC work collaboratively towards a common creative goal, while maintaining and developing their own artistic voice to bring edge-of-your-seat excitement to audiences. JLDC operates with integrity at all levels and respects and honors ideas from constituent groups including dancers, directors, and the public. Jon Lehrer Dance Company actively promotes and values equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism on an institutional and individual level. www.jonlehrerdance.com

Jon Lehrer (Founder & Artistic Director of JLDC), who was raised in Queens, New York, took his very first dance class on a dare at age 19 at the University at Buffalo. While dating a dancer, Jon teased her about how easy it must be to get an A in a dance class. The girl dared Jon to try a beginning level modern dance class and his life was changed. Jon ultimately received his BFA in Dance from the University at Buffalo.

As a professional, Jon danced with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, Paul Sanasardo, John Passafiume Dancers, in Merv Griffin's "Funderful" in Atlantic City, NJ, and the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. In 1997, Jon was hired by Giordano Dance Chicago, the world's preeminent jazz dance company. After only three years he was promoted to Rehearsal Director and became the Associate Director two years later. During his ten years with Giordano, Jon also became the resident choreographer, creating seven original works on the company that received rave reviews around the world.

Jon has choreographed for several professional dance companies and universities all over the country. He teaches master classes throughout the U.S. and around the world, having been on faculty at Dance Masters of America, Jazz Dance World Congress, Dance Teacher Summer Conference, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters (CNADM), Chautauqua Institution, Florida Dance Educators Organization, and Florida Dance Masters to name a few. Jon has received many awards and honors, including the University at Buffalo Zodiaque Dance Company Distinguished Alumni Award, CNADM's Artistic Achievement Award, University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award, and the "Rising Star" SPARK Award for being an integral part of Buffalo's thriving arts and cultural community.

About Zeno Pittarelli

Composer/Musician Zeno Pittarelli is a musician, engineer, and artist living in New York City. Founder of Newlywed Records and produces, records, mixes + masters in his home studio and remotely. Some of his projects have been featured in major publications including Rolling Stone, NPR, and Stereogum. Pittarelli strives to make moving, exciting, and unique records.

JLDC's residency and performance at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater are part of the CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), a transformative incubator that secures two vital yet scarce resources-rehearsal time and performance space-for New York City choreographers and dance companies across the five boroughs. Housed within the City University of New York (CUNY)-the nation's largest public urban university system-CDI is a residency program that supports local artists, enhances the cultural life and education of college students, and builds new dance audiences at CUNY performing arts centers.

CDI receives major support from The Mertz Gilmore Foundation and Howard Gilman Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Jerome Robbins Foundation, SHS Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. CDI is part of Dance/NYC's New York City Dance Rehearsal Space Subsidy Program, made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. CDI is spearheaded by The Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College. www.cuny.edu/danceinitiative

Additional funding for this residency and performance is provided by the John Jay College Student Activities Association, Inc.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice of The City University of New York, an international leader in educating for justice, offers a rich liberal arts and professional studies curriculum to upwards of 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 135 nations. In teaching, scholarship and research, the College approaches justice as an applied art and science in service to society and as an ongoing conversation about fundamental human desires for fairness, equality and the rule of law. For more information, visit www.jjay.cuny.edu.

Since opening its doors in 1988, the Gerald W. Lynch Theater has been an invaluable cultural resource. The Theater is a member of CUNY Stages, a consortium of 16 performing arts centers located on CUNY campuses across New York City and the CUNY Dance Initiative. The Theater is home to the Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival & White Light Festival, as well as the New Yorker Festival, Mannes Opera, the World Science Festival, and the revival of Mummunschanz. The Theater has hosted live and recorded events including David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Inside the Actor's Studio, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts, Comedy Central Presents one-hour specials, the American Justice Summit, the NYC Mayoral Democratic Debates, and the launch of Jay-Z's REFORM initiative. The Theater welcomes premiere galas, conferences, international competitions, and graduations. For more information, and a schedule of events, please visit www.GeraldWLynchTheater.com.

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