Jon Lehrer creates 1-2 new works per year, keeping the repertory fresh and evolving!
Click on photo to see videos and more pictures!
Photo by Jack Hartin
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A Ritual Dynamic
The work that started it all! “A Ritual Dynamic” was the very first company piece, created to define Jon's signature style. 2007 Music: Hovannes K, DJ Disse Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Cindy Darling Dancers - 8 TRT - 10:00 |
"Surprise landings and tableaux that sliced space into unexpected geometrics kept the audience
on the edge of their seats.” - Lyn Shapiro, Dance Magazine
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
Bridge and Tunnel
A playful homage to growing up in Queens, NY.
2002
Music - Paul Simon
Lighting - John Imburgia
Costumes - Laura Vanner, after Cindy Darling
Dancers - 8
TRT - 12:45
"Jon Lehrer's delightful Bridge and Tunnel is a playful hymn to the sidewalks of the outer boroughs.
It's a first rate sample of American vernacular dance, a genre whose distinguished heritage includes
Jerome Robbins's Fancy Free, Agnes DeMille's Rodeo, and Gene Kelley's Singin' in the Rain solo."
- Kelly Kleiman, Chicago Reader
It's a first rate sample of American vernacular dance, a genre whose distinguished heritage includes
Jerome Robbins's Fancy Free, Agnes DeMille's Rodeo, and Gene Kelley's Singin' in the Rain solo."
- Kelly Kleiman, Chicago Reader
Photo by Chad Cooper
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Cash or Check? In the 1920’s the phrase ‘Cash or Check?’ was used to ask,"Will you kiss me now or later?" 2014 Music - Moreno Quintet Jazz Manouche, Cab Calloway, Tchan Tchou Vidal, Kahn & Donaldson, Gypsy Jazz Caravan Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Tammy Bialek Dancers - 8 TRT - 15:00 |
“Cash or Check,” with its high-energy playfulness and period costumes, transports you back to 1920s America. Above all, group members looked as though they were having a blast, as though there was
nowhere else they’d rather be." - Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
nowhere else they’d rather be." - Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
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Chukchi In November 2014, the company toured to the Far East of Russia - to a city called Anadyr, in the region of Chukotka. On this tour, which was sponsored by the US Department of State, we were treated to a performance by the State Chukchi-Eskimo Song and Dance Ensemble - Ergryon. Chukchi for sunrise, Ergryon’s performance was awe inspiring. After the performance we spent the entire day together, learning about each others cultures and art forms. They taught us a class that combined ballet technique with their traditional dance forms which celebrate their history and daily lives. We taught them our highly physical and athletic technique and style along with company repertoire. Following our day of cultural exchange, Ergryon's Artistic Director gave us their original music and blessing to utilize and share it with the world. Out of this once in a lifetime experience, “Chukchi” was created. This work is our heartfelt thank you and homage to the beautiful people and culture of Chukotka. 2015 Music - Ergryon Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 15:30 |
Photo by Chad Cooper
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“Chukchi was a spectacle worthy of Broadway. With a tribal feel, Chukchi was breathtaking. When the lights went down, it drew the loudest applause of the evening, and rightfully so." - Matt Chandler, The Buffalo News
Photo by Jim Bush
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Femeie de Lume Romanian for “Woman of the World’. 2014 Music - Giacomelli, Einaudi Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 5 TRT - 10:45 |
“Like some exalted goddess, dancer Colleen Walsh was carried and attended to by four male dancers who kept her aloft as if up on a never-ending symbolic pedestal. With a potent mixture of strength, grace and sensuality, her skilled performance as the object of worship was a highlight of the evening.”
- Steve Sucato, Buffalo News
- Steve Sucato, Buffalo News
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Fused by 8 2010 Music - Black Violin Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 10:00 |
Photo by David Evertsen
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“If there is something you can expect from this work, it is that it is going to go somewhere unexpected.
This delightful trend is what brought the audience to its feet." - Dance Source Houston
This delightful trend is what brought the audience to its feet." - Dance Source Houston
Photo by Christopher Duggan, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
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Here In This Eden Completely lost in their love for each other, they are the only two people in the world. 2013 Music - Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke, Balanescu Quartet Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Cindy Darling Dancers - 2 TRT - 8:15 |
“Almost divine, Here in This Eden was a wonderfully harmonious-dreamy pas de deux with great charisma.”
- Onetz - Amberg, Germany
- Onetz - Amberg, Germany
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Instinct A male duet that follows the evolution from animal to man. 2000 Music - Clint Mansel Costumes - Cindy Darling Lighting - Tabitha Rodman Dancers - 2 TRT - 7:00 |
Photo by Nate Benson
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“Lehrer’s affinity for air-born antics doesn’t keep him from making stunning use of the floor and stationary movement in the male duet Instinct. The dancers assault the ground, their ritualistic gestures less giving
into gravity than diving into it." - Lyn Shapiro, Dance Magazine
into gravity than diving into it." - Lyn Shapiro, Dance Magazine
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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La Follia The musicality of Vivaldi combined with the athletic ingenuity of JLDC! 2023 Music - Antonio Vivaldi Costumes - Laura Vanner Lighting - Jon Lehrer Dancers - 8 TRT 11:00 |
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Loose Canon A zany comedy inspired by the film “One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest”. 2004 Music - Johann Palchelbel Costumes - Sarah Brazo Lighting - Kam Hobbs Dancers - 5 TRT - 7:30 |
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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“In Loose Canon, Lehrer's sharp choreography requires honest acting over hapless mugging and
expertly entwines humor and pain" - Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune
expertly entwines humor and pain" - Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Murmur A lyrically infused work based on murmuration and quantum entanglement. 2012 Music - Budo, The Cinematic Orchestra, Grey Reverend Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 12:50 |
"A graceful work filled with balletic movement that explores the constant tension between
the individual and the group."- Steve Sucato, Buffalo News
the individual and the group."- Steve Sucato, Buffalo News
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Pantheon Rising
Using science fiction and Greek mythology as inspiration, an epic work about the Gods and Goddesses who created the universe. 2013 Original Music Composition - Damien Simon Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Cindy Darling & Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT 12:00 |
Photo by Jamie Kraus, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
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“The aggressive, hard-driving group choreography of Pantheon Rising blew across the stage like a gale-force wind carrying with it truly heroic figures with the single-minded determination and drive the marvelous company of dancers brings to every work and performance.” - Colin Dabkowski, Buffalo News
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Pulp What if Buster Keaton, Quentin Tarantino, and Scooby-Doo made a dance... 2016 Music - Ennio Marricone, James Brown & 2Pac Shakur, Riziero Ortolani, Booket T. & The M.G.’s Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 14:05 |
"With a lot of wit and slapstick the dancers take the audience on a crazy journey.
“Pulp" shows that dance theater can be poetic, expressive, and moving.”
- Sigrid Blomen-Radermacher, RP-Online - Vieren, Germany
“Pulp" shows that dance theater can be poetic, expressive, and moving.”
- Sigrid Blomen-Radermacher, RP-Online - Vieren, Germany
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Rhapsody The classicism and coolness of jazz dance and music in full effect. 2017 Music- Allen Toussaint, Dave Brubeck, Mocean Worker Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes -Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT 10:00 |
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Photo by Gary Emord-Netzley
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Sirenic "Bound by no boundaries, contained by no countries, tamed by no time, she is the force of nature’s course.” - Roman Payne, The Wanderess 2017 Music - DakhaBrakha Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 4 TRT - 15:00 |
“The four women of the company perfectly stage a physical wave with the help of an almost stage-sized, ventilated cloth, reminiscent of the feeling of natural weightlessness.”
- Gunter Faigle - Sudkurier - Villingen, Germany
- Gunter Faigle - Sudkurier - Villingen, Germany
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Solstice A celebration of all things summer. 2019 Music - Will Close and The Earth Harp Collective, Bertelmann Costumes - Laura Vanner Lighting - Kam Hobbs Dancers - 8 TRT - 9:30 Solstice was commissioned by and created at Artpark in Lewiston, NY for their Summer Solstice Celebration. |
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Stand 2022 Music - Regina Spektor Lighting - Jon Lehrer Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 1 TRT - 5:08 |
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Sum Of Us Together, we can create something greater than us as individuals. 2021 Music - Guild Keetman, Carl Orff Lighting - Jeremy Granger Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 11:16 |
Photo by Kiesha Stephens
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Photo by Luz
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SuperZeroes
A dysfunctional family just trying to cope with each other. 2010 Music - Bellstedt, Rigolleto, Dvorak, Bach, Sibelius Costumes - Jon Lehrer Lighting - Kam Hobbs Dancers - 5 TRT - 11:00 “Charmingly idiosyncratic tics and fragments of movement that most choreographers would toss onto the cutting room floor are strung together to tell an odd story about a dysfunctional family of superheroes."
- Steve Sucato, Buffalo News |
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The Alliance A group of warriors prepare for battle, relying on their individual strengths as well as their strength in numbers. 2011 Music - YACHT, No Zu, Iva Nova Lighting - Kam Hobbs Costumes - Cindy Darling Dancers - 8 TRT - 12:30 |
Photo by Rhea Anna
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“A tour de force of creativity and a stunning piece of work.”
- Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
- Colin Dabkowski, The Buffalo News
Photo by Nate Benson
The Way Within
A dancer embarks on a journey to find herself amidst the push and pull of
everyday life. Based on the novel "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse
2007
Music - Christopher O’Riley
Lighting - Kam Hobbs
Costume - Laura Vanner
Dancers - 1
TRT - 5:30
A dancer embarks on a journey to find herself amidst the push and pull of
everyday life. Based on the novel "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse
2007
Music - Christopher O’Riley
Lighting - Kam Hobbs
Costume - Laura Vanner
Dancers - 1
TRT - 5:30
“As a bow to all stage art, The Way Within contrasts between the floating lightness of classical ballet
and its weighty, self-confident counterpart in modern dance. “
- Annette Mahro, Badische Zeitung - Lorrach, Germany
and its weighty, self-confident counterpart in modern dance. “
- Annette Mahro, Badische Zeitung - Lorrach, Germany
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Through The Storm
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. 2022 Original Music Composition - Zeno Pittarelli Lighting - Andrew Hunt Costumes - Laura Vanner Dancers - 8 TRT - 13:30 Through The Storm was developed with the support of a 2022 CUNY Dance Initiative residency at Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College. |
Photo by Steven Pisano
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Photo by Kiesha Stephens
Troika
The power of three together is greater than the individual.
2016
Music - Goldmund, Michael Nyman
Lighting - Kam Hobbs
Costumes - Jessica Wegrzyn
Dancers - 3
TRT - 11:00
“The dancers brilliantly implement the scenic ingenuity of Jon Lehrer. They use the entire stage space, develop a dynamic of movement that makes tension-filled sequences and abrupt stops, and show how well
they master their body balance.” - Gunter Faiglem, Sudkurier - Villingen, Germany
they master their body balance.” - Gunter Faiglem, Sudkurier - Villingen, Germany