CREATIVITY:
A dance experience that springs from your child's creative center. The LJD School includes a choreography component in every class. Choreography is an art and a skill and our curriculum at LJD was developed by Ms Johnson who has years of experience choreographing professionally. Our structured and in-depth approach has been constantly revised and expanded in response to the interests and needs of our creative young dancers. We are thrilled to offer an alternative to commercial dance education. Our season includes a performance of student choreography on stage each spring.
EXCELLENCE:
A level of excellence that is rare outside of NYC. Our instructors are dancers and teaching artists who live and work in NY. They all love teaching and are trained in LJD's creative curriculum. The progression of dance technique we teach is age appropriate and always based on correct alignment.
NURTURING:
Our studio provides a warm, non-competitive environment for the thoughtful and creative child. Our instructors are caring and tuned in to the many different learning styles of creative kids. Our students are encouraged to bring a personal vision to the dances they create. The thoughtful discussions we hold after the showing of works -in -process give every child the chance to express their ideas. Our older dancers are famously supportive of the younger ones!
COMMUNITY:
Parents and students alike all comment on the sense of community and family at the LJD School. Multi-age classes and our unique camp help to create a warm, supportive feeling. Our young dancers become interns and assist with classes as they get older and many are accepted into their high school dance troupes. The sense of community at LJD draws our alumni back from college to work at our dance camp each summer.
LJD is the Dance Company In Residence at The Burgdorff Performing Arts Center in Maplewood NJ, and is in partnership with Maplewood Arts & Culture
"We appreciate how empowering the choreography element of these classes has been for our daughter!
Because the curriculum is focused on process and creativity, taught by such a acclaimed and experienced choreographer we’ve seen her shine at LJD in a way she hasn’t had the opportunity to do in some other
classes and studios."
Vanessa P., LJD Mom
"Both my son and daughter have studied dance with Lydia Johnson. Her unique, choreography-based approached allows children to engage in dance as both a means of artistic expression and as a means of physical training. Her classes offer a warm and supportive environment where children can learn to use dance to express the feelings they might have trouble putting into words." Veda T., LJD Mom