Lydia Johnson (Choreographer, Artistic Director)

Originally from Massachusetts, Ms. Johnson studied at Suny/Purchase and on scholarship at The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center. She continued her studies on New York with Finis Jhung and Sara Rudner among others. She presented her early work in New York at numerous dance spaces and founded One Night Stand, a series of Co-operative showcases, which allowed choreographers to present new work inexpensively. She has received a Monticello Foundation award sponsored by The National Association of Regional Ballet as well as a recent Harkness Dance Center Space Grant from the 92nd Street Y. LJD was founded in 1999 when Ms. Johnson returned to her choreography after taking several years to be home with her three children while working part time.

Jessica Sand is a native of Iowa and alum of Texas Christian University, where she graduated with honors with a BFA in ballet and modern dance, and was featured in works by Fernando Bujones, Mary Cochran, Gail Gilbert, and Paul Taylor. She also studied at the Kirov Academy, Colorado Ballet, the American Dance Festival, and on scholarship at The Taylor School. Miss Sand has performed with Eglevsky Ballet, tompricedance, and Von Howard Project, among others, and has been pleased to be a member of Lydia Johnson Dance since 2004. Ms. Sand has originated major roles in LJD’s repertory and has served as a Rehearsal Director for the Company.

Kerry Shea, originally from Virginia, began early training at Pennsylvania Ballet, Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet. Shea continued training on scholarship at The University of Utah. Graduating with high honors she received her BFA. Company credits include The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, Ballet West, and The Sacramento Ballet. She has enjoyed working with choreographers Alonzo King, Donald McKayle, Septime Webre, Stephen Mills, and Thaddeus Davis. Recently, she has returned from the North West Professional Dance Project in Portland, Oregon. Shea had the honor of working with Lucas Crandall, of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and performing a solo Crandall created on her. Currently, Shea can be seen dancing in New York City with The Eglevsky Ballet Company, Brooklyn Ballet, and Salim Gauwloos. This is her fourth season dancing with Lydia Johnson Dance, where she has originated major roles in the repertory and served as a Rehearsal Director for the Company.

Laura Di Orio, originally from Pennsylvania, began her training at the Mill Ballet School with Mark and Melissa Roxey. She also attended summer programs at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and spent one year in the Joffrey/New School University BFA program. Laura then went on to receive her B.A. in journalism from Fordham University and is a contributing writer for Pointe Magazine, among other dance publications. She has also performed with the Staten Island Ballet, Albano Ballet and Roxey Ballet. Laura has been pleased to be a member of Lydia Johnson Dance since 2006.

Lisa Iannacito joined Lydia Johnson Dance in 2006 and has taught for the company in various workshops and residencies. She is a graduate of the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College where she performed works by Jose Limon, Mark Morris, Paul Taylor and Pascal Rioult. Her previous training includes study at the Boston Ballet, the Juilliard School, the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the Mark Morris Dance Center. She has performed with the Albany Berkshire Ballet, Beth Soll and Dancers, Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theater and in The Nutcracker at the Riverside Church. In 2007, she taught and performed at The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard. She is the Associate Artistic Director as well as a dancer with Riedel Dance Theater. Ms. Iannacito is also a Pilates instructor, certified by the Kane School of Core Integration.

Eric Vlach was raised and began his dance training in Portland, Oregon. After high school, he moved to New York City to pursue his B.F.A. in dance at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 2005 along with a degree in computer applications. Since then, while simultaneously freelancing his IT application design skills, he has been dancing across the country, performing choreography by David Robertson, Bill T. Jones, Moses Pendleton, Ronen Koresh, Lucas Crandall, and Lauri Stallings He has appeared as a guest artist with the Second Avenue Dance Company and Benjamin Briones Ballet, as well as a number of other troupes, performing in projects such as the DUMBO and the Cool New York dance festivals. In addition to Lydia Johnson Dance, Eric can be seen this year dancing in New York City with the Eglevsky Ballet, in Seattle with Jerboa Dance, and in Oregon with Portland Festival Ballet.

Robert Robinson trained primarily at The School of Hartford Ballet before graduating from The Juilliard School. Please visit www.ditchproductions.com to see his full bio and view samples of his work.

Tammi Shamblin, originally from California, majored in Ballet at the University of Utah. While there, she performed with Utah Ballet. She then returned to California, to dance with Capitol City Ballet and Sacramento Ballet. She performed, taught, and choreographed in the Sacramento area. She is currently also dancing with ad Hoc ballet under the direction of Deborah Lohse. She is a faculty member at Ballet Tech, Eliot Feld’s public school for ballet. This is her first season teaching and performing with Lydia Johnson

Jeremy Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance from Florida State University, after attending New World School of the Arts High School in Miami, Florida. At Florida State, he performed, choreographed, and taught extensively with Dance Repertory Theatre. His many teachers include Lynda Davis, Jane Wood-Smith, Daniel Lewis, Peter London, Gerard Ebitz, Paula Cunningham, Kim Brokaw, and Debbi Dee. He has performed choreography by Clay Taliaferro, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Alonzo King, Alex Ketley, Sara Pearson/Patrik Widrig, and Brent Schneider, and has appeared as a guest artist with Ballet West and The Tallahassee Ballet Company. He danced with danced the Parsons Dance Company for several years. Jeremy is currently a member of ODC/San Francisco and dances with Ben Munisteri Dance Projects and with Lydia Johnson Dance when in New York City.

R. Colby Damon was born and raised in Richmond Virginia, and received his training at the Richmond Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the Virginia School of the Arts. He joined the Sacramento Ballet, where for five years he performed soloist and principal roles in numerous classical and contemporary works, including pieces by George Balanchine, Trey McIntyre, Dwight Rhoden, and John Selya among others. He has also appeared as a guest artist with the Cincinnatti Ballet at the Guggenheim Museum's Works and Process series featuring works of choreographer Luca Veggetti, and has additionally danced for Amy Seiwert’s im’ig-ery, Thang Dao Dance Company, Piedmont Dance Theater, and the Northwest Professional Dance Project. This is his second season with Lydia Johnson Dance.