It’s Back to the Future for the Lydia Johnson Dance Company

A dance company founded as a not-for-profit twenty five years ago is returning to its roots at the renowned Martha Graham Studio Theater in the West Village.

The theater on Bethune St. in downtown Manhattan is named for one of the most legendary dancers of the 20th century and is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“I’m thrilled our company is returning to the Martha Graham Studio Theater–the same place where many of my early works were performed,” said Lydia Johnson, the artistic director and choreographer of the Lydia Johnson Dance Company (LJD).

Performed on December 4th, 5th, & 8th, this season’s heartfelt collection of works celebrates 25 years of her company by featuring the world premiere Legacy, set to music by Terry Riley; Chapters, featuring music by William Duckworth and Christopher Dennis Coleman; the revival of her signature piece Summer House, performed to Philip Glass’s Piano Etudes and Poems for Solo Cell, and excerpts from Time ...and again, set to musical standards performed by Oscar Peterson and starring New York City Ballet repertory director and former soloist Craig Hall, who will perform with his dance partner, Laura Di Orio.

The company, which Johnson founded in 1999 is renowned for seamlessly integrating classical ballet into a contemporary dance vocabulary.

LJD is also dedicated to making dance accessible through its school, scholarships, teen internship programs, and community outreach initiatives.

Last year, the school doled out $20,000 in scholarships because Johnson is committed to making sure that talented young people who want to pursue dance can do so.

We caught up with the busy choreographer, as she getting ready for her early December performances at the Martha Graham Dance Studio to discuss her vocation and vision for her company’s future.

How did your interest in dance come about?

I always knew I wanted to choreograph, even before I knew what choreography was.

I grew up outside of Boston, where there was a lot of land. How I played with the neighborhood kids was a precursor to choreography. I was a person who said: “Let’s all make a circle and run up the hill. Let’s all make a pattern on the swings.”

In high school, I started taking dance classes and gradually got more serious about doing it professionally.

Jump ahead a few years to a move to New York where I was thrilled to get a scholarship at The Ailey School as well as become a member of Twyla Tharp’s company.

I would’ve loved to have danced with more companies but I experienced a pretty serious injury. That’s when I decided to finally start choreographing–in a little studio in Greenwich Village with one dancer.

What do you consider to be your greatest strength in this role?

Over the years, I’ve come to understand how my work resonates. I think the strength of my choreography is a combination of emotion and humanity. It’s abstract work and may not have a definite story, but you have a feeling of a story. There’s a sense of the human experience, the human condition. Gestures go into my work as well. The way I weave them into dance movement makes it very human. People really respond to that.

What is your process for creating a new dance routine and choosing music?

For me, the choreography springs from the music. I feel it when it’s happening. I think that’s what reaches people. I get a lot of responses about how it makes people feel.

As far as musical choices, I’m listening all the time for the right piece to come at the right time where I think I’m going choreographically. I’ve used a range—classical, jazz, pop songs.

How do you recruit dancers for your company? Is it a mix of experienced people and entry-level? Do they come from certain schools?

We have a history of experienced dancers who’ve been with us a long time. Some are no longer working full-time but want to stay creative, and then we have some who are new to dance who will be joining us. We occasionally audition—as we did recently, but usually discover our dancers through word-of-mouth

How do you motivate and inspire your dancers?

Since the pandemic, a lot of funding has dropped out for the arts. One of the things we’ve done as a small company, which can’t keep everyone employed full-time, is to maintain a solid rehearsal schedule of three afternoons a week for an upcoming performance, which allows all of us, myself included, to stay involved in our craft.

As far as motivating them artistically...from the beginning, I’ve always watched the strengths of each dancer and then woven them into the choreography. I find that really exciting, and I think the dancers find it really satisfying. Even though the steps are all mine, they’re contributing in terms of nuance and feeling, and their very presence impacts how I make the movement.

What are your long-term goals for the company?

Now that I’ve let my hair turn gray, I want to be a voice for respecting women’s abilities, creativity, and messaging. Especially older women because there are simply life experiences that those in that age group have.

My experience as an older woman and a mother has become part of what can be seen in the company and will continue to be seen because I have a really strong drive to keep choreographing.

Lydia Johnson Dance 2024 Season will perform at Martha Graham Studio Theater, 55 Bethune St, New York, NY 10014, on December 4, 5, & 8.Ticket prices are $65 for Patrons, $35 for General Admission, and $20 for Dancers/Students.

For more information about Lydia Johnson Dance, please visit www.lydiajohnsondance.org

Lorraine Duffy Merkl is the author of three novels, most recently “The Last Single Woman in New York City.”