Spezio's Dance Dynamics is pleased to once again welcome Mr. Jon Lehrer to our studio.
Jon Lehrer is the former Associate Director, Tour Manager, and Resident Choreographer for Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago (GJDC). Jon took his very first dance class at the age of 19 at the University at Buffalo on a dare from his girlfriend. After only two years of training he was asked to join UB’s highly acclaimed Zodiaque Dance Company. While in Buffalo, Jon also had the honor of performing in many “Summerfare” productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, and Simply Gershwin. In the summer of 1994, Jon received a scholarship to study at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Lee, Massachusetts. While there he had the honor of taking classes from Carolyn Adams, Danny Grossman, Mark Morris, Margie Gillis, Gail Gilbert, and David Parsons. In 1995 Jon returned home to New York City and continued his training on scholarship at the Joffrey Ballet School, Broadway Dance Center, and Peridance.
After only a few months in NYC, Jon got his first professional opportunity as a company member with the John Passafiume Dancers. John Passafiume is a former principle dancer with Anna Sokolow and Paul Sanasardo; Mr. Sanasardo also acted as the company Director. In September 1995, Jon was hired by the internationally acclaimed Erick Hawkins Dance Company and for the next year toured the world with one of modern dances most influential artist. In October 1996, Jon wanted a change of pace and took a job dancing for Merv Griffin in Atlantic City, NJ. In 1997, two years after he came to NYC to become a professional dancer, Jon was hired by Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, the oldest and most highly respected jazz dance company in the world. In 2000, Jon was promoted to Rehearsal Director and then to Associate Director in 2002. After 10 years of performing with GJDC, Jon is now focusing on his position as Associate Director, working side by side with Artistic Director Nan Giordano and Executive Director Ben Hodge. Along with his duties as Associate Director, Jon acts as Tour Manager and is the company’s resident choreographer having created seven original works for GJDC that have received rave reviews all around the world.
In addition to his works on GJDC, Jon has choreographed on several dance companies in Chicago and around the world. These include Thodos Dance Chicago, Instruments of Movement, Momenta Dance Theatre, Le Jazz Groupe from Monterrey, Mexico, and Kannon Dance of St. Petersburg, Russia. Jon has also set his choreography on many University dance companies including the University at Buffalo, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Nevada Reno, East Central University, Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and Northern Illinois University. In 2002 Jon was one of four Chicago choreographers selected to participate in the first ever Dance Chicago Choreography Project, sponsored by the Chicago Community Trust and Sara Lee; he was selected to participate again in 2004. Through the Project, Jon set an original work on dancers from the Joffrey Ballet. The Chicago Community Trust has also underwritten two of Jon’s works on GJDC as part of their Excellence in Dance Initiative. In 2006, Jon was given funding by the Elizabeth R. Cheney Foundation to create his seventh piece on GJDC.
Jon teaches master classes throughout the U.S. and around the world, is on the faculty of the Jazz Dance World Congress, Chicago National Association of Dance Masters, Chicago Dance Connection, and at the Giordano Dance Center. He does yearly residencies at University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Nevada Reno, and Hope College. In 2000, Jon was one of four choreographers and teachers invited to the Jazz Dance Festival/New Generation in Ekaterinburg, Russia. In 2003 Jon had the honor of receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University at Buffalo Zodiaque Dance Company for his accomplishments as a dancer and choreographer. In 2006 Jon was asked to join the Advisory Board of Dance Spirit Magazine whose esteemed members include Frank Hatchett, Liz Imperio, Joe Lanteri, David Parsons, and Joe Tremaine.
In 2007 Jon Lehrer officially began his exciting new dance company, LehrerDance. Five years in the making, LehrerDance showcases Jon’s unique choreography and allow him to cultivate and continue to create a definitive and original style. Jon’s extensive experience in both the modern and jazz dance idioms allows him to create dances that are organic, artistic, accessible, often humorous, and always inspired by life experience and the human condition.
