The first annual, outdoor dance festival in Montclair “Dance on the Lawn” was held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (73 S. Fullerton Ave, Montclair, NJ) on September 9, 2014 and showcased a diverse group of artists from New York, state-wide from New Jersey, and some of Montclair’s own.
The 2022 "Dance on the Lawn: Montclair's Dance Festival's" - Ninth Annual Event is scheduled for
Saturday, September 10, 2022@ 3:00pm
WHO WE ARE:
“Dance on the Lawn” celebrates dance in New Jersey and aims to increase exposure to dance by bringing professional and emerging companies, plus students of dance from around New Jersey together in a community setting that is free and open to the public. Since our inception in 2014 we have presented New Jersey School Performing Groups, New Jersey Professional Companies including 10 Hairy Legs, Maurice Chestnut’s Dance Therapy, Freespace Dance and Carolyn Dorfman Dance, plus New York Professional Companies including Seán Curran Company, Janice Brenner and Dancers, works by Troy Powell (Artistic Director, Ailey II), Ballet Hispanico Dos, DanceGrandMoultrie, Keigwin & Company and Stephen Petronio Company. Additionally, each year we select and support an “Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer” with performance opportunities guided by a mentor. Robert Mark Burke was chosen in 2015, Kyle Marshall in 2016, Lauren Connolly in 2017, Javier Padilla in 2018, Oluwadamilare 'Dare' Ayorinde in 2019 and Amber Sloan in 2020/2021. Charmaine Warren and Laura Marchese are the guiding force behind "Dance on the Lawn: Montclair's Dance Festival."
~ (Click on each year to see corresponding videos & photos) ~
The 2021 Line up included:
Our 2020/2021 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Amber Sloan
New Jersey Schools: Movement Arts' Project/Dance For Joy (Brielle); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks Studios (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair); & Maurice Chestnut/Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut/Artistic Director/Newark)
New Jersey Companies: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company (Fort Lee); Megan Chu (Scotch Plains); & Maurice Chestnut (Newark)
New York Companies: Nicole Philippidis & Chalvar Monteiro and Jacquelin Harris - Courtesy of The Merce Cunningham Trust
The 2019 line up included:
Our 2019 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Oluwadamilare 'Dare' Ayorinde
New Jersey Schools: Linda D'Amico's Academy of Dance (Pompton Plains); Lisa Bachelor's Unique Performance Arts Center (West Orange); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair); & Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair)
New Jersey Companies: Mignolo Dance (Charly & Eriel Santagado/Metchun); Freespace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair) & Maurice Chestnut/Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut/Artistic Director/Newark); &10 Hairy Legs (Randy James -Artistic Director (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Sofia Forero, The Heraclitus Project & Stefanie Rae Williams (courtesy of Dance Theatre of Harlem)
The 2018 line up included:
Our 2018 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Javier Padilla
New Jersey Schools: Lisa Bachelor's Unique Performance Arts Center (West Orange); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair) & Nancy Turano's New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: Freespace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair) & MeenMoves (Sameena Mitta/Artistic Director/Jersey City)
5th Anniversary Celebration of DOTL'S "EMERGING COMMISSIONED NEW JERSEY CHOREOGRAPHERS":
Robert Mark Burke (2015/Hoboken); Kyle Marshall (2016/Jersey City) & Lauren Connolly (2017/Jersey City)
New Jersey Tap Celebration: Maurice Chestnut (Newark) & Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (Teaneck)
New York Companies: Barkha Dance Company (Barkha Patel/Artistic Director) & Ayodele Casel
The 2017 line up included:
2017 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Lauren Connolly
New Jersey Schools: FutureSTEP Tap Company - (Livingston); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts (Montclair); DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair);
New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: FreeSpace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair); Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut - Artistic Director/Newark); 10 Hairy Legs (Randy James - Artistic Director/Highland Park); Robert Mark Dance (Robert Mark Burke - Artistic Director/Hoboken -
DOTL's 2015 "Emerging NJ Choreographer" through the auspices of DOTL's ongoing mentorship program)
New York Companies: Special choreography by Troy Powell (Artistic Director - Ailey II); PROJECT 44 DANCE (Gierre J. Godley/Director); & Stephen Petronio Company.
The 2016 line up included:
2016 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Kyle Marshall
New Jersey Schools: Grooves Unlimited Dance Studio (Livingston); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Company (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair) & Nancy Turano's New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: FreeSpace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair); "Dance Therapy" (Maurice Chestnut - Artistic Director/Newark);
10 Hairy Legs (Randy James - Artistic Director/Highland Park) & Carolyn Dorfman (Carolyn Dorfman - Artistic Director/Union)
New York Companies: New Work by Troy Powell (Artistic Director - Ailey II); ZEST Collective (Gentry George - Artistic Director); &
Keigwin + Company (Larry Keigwin - Artistic Director)
The 2015 lineup included:
2015 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Robert Mark Burke
New Jersey Schools: Nancy Turano’s New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit), Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts’ Performance Workshop Ensemble (SMAPA/PWE- Montclair), Kathy Costa’s DanceWorks & Company (Montclair) and Andrea Kramer's Ballet Forte (Chester);
New Jersey Companies: Maurice Chestnut (Newark), Donna Scro’s Freespace Dance (Montclair) and Randy James’ 10 Hairy Legs (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Janis Brenner & Dancers, choreography by Troy Powell (Ailey II - Artistic Director), Darrell Moultrie's DanceGrandMoultrie, and BHdos: The Second Company of Ballet Hispanico;
The 2014 lineup included:
New Jersey Schools: Nancy Turano’s New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit), Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts’ Performance Workshop Ensemble (SMAPA/PWE- Montclair) and Kathy Costa’s DanceWorks & Company (Montclair);
New Jersey Companies: Maurice Chestnut (Newark), Donna Scro’s Freespace Dance (Montclair) and Randy James’ 10 Hairy Legs (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Seán Curran Company & Brice Mousset’s Oui Danse
The 2022 "Dance on the Lawn: Montclair's Dance Festival's" - Ninth Annual Event is scheduled for
Saturday, September 10, 2022@ 3:00pm
WHO WE ARE:
“Dance on the Lawn” celebrates dance in New Jersey and aims to increase exposure to dance by bringing professional and emerging companies, plus students of dance from around New Jersey together in a community setting that is free and open to the public. Since our inception in 2014 we have presented New Jersey School Performing Groups, New Jersey Professional Companies including 10 Hairy Legs, Maurice Chestnut’s Dance Therapy, Freespace Dance and Carolyn Dorfman Dance, plus New York Professional Companies including Seán Curran Company, Janice Brenner and Dancers, works by Troy Powell (Artistic Director, Ailey II), Ballet Hispanico Dos, DanceGrandMoultrie, Keigwin & Company and Stephen Petronio Company. Additionally, each year we select and support an “Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer” with performance opportunities guided by a mentor. Robert Mark Burke was chosen in 2015, Kyle Marshall in 2016, Lauren Connolly in 2017, Javier Padilla in 2018, Oluwadamilare 'Dare' Ayorinde in 2019 and Amber Sloan in 2020/2021. Charmaine Warren and Laura Marchese are the guiding force behind "Dance on the Lawn: Montclair's Dance Festival."
~ (Click on each year to see corresponding videos & photos) ~
The 2021 Line up included:
Our 2020/2021 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Amber Sloan
New Jersey Schools: Movement Arts' Project/Dance For Joy (Brielle); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks Studios (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair); & Maurice Chestnut/Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut/Artistic Director/Newark)
New Jersey Companies: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company (Fort Lee); Megan Chu (Scotch Plains); & Maurice Chestnut (Newark)
New York Companies: Nicole Philippidis & Chalvar Monteiro and Jacquelin Harris - Courtesy of The Merce Cunningham Trust
The 2019 line up included:
Our 2019 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Oluwadamilare 'Dare' Ayorinde
New Jersey Schools: Linda D'Amico's Academy of Dance (Pompton Plains); Lisa Bachelor's Unique Performance Arts Center (West Orange); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair); & Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair)
New Jersey Companies: Mignolo Dance (Charly & Eriel Santagado/Metchun); Freespace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair) & Maurice Chestnut/Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut/Artistic Director/Newark); &10 Hairy Legs (Randy James -Artistic Director (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Sofia Forero, The Heraclitus Project & Stefanie Rae Williams (courtesy of Dance Theatre of Harlem)
The 2018 line up included:
Our 2018 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Javier Padilla
New Jersey Schools: Lisa Bachelor's Unique Performance Arts Center (West Orange); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair) & Nancy Turano's New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: Freespace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair) & MeenMoves (Sameena Mitta/Artistic Director/Jersey City)
5th Anniversary Celebration of DOTL'S "EMERGING COMMISSIONED NEW JERSEY CHOREOGRAPHERS":
Robert Mark Burke (2015/Hoboken); Kyle Marshall (2016/Jersey City) & Lauren Connolly (2017/Jersey City)
New Jersey Tap Celebration: Maurice Chestnut (Newark) & Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (Teaneck)
New York Companies: Barkha Dance Company (Barkha Patel/Artistic Director) & Ayodele Casel
The 2017 line up included:
2017 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Lauren Connolly
New Jersey Schools: FutureSTEP Tap Company - (Livingston); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts (Montclair); DanceWorks & Co. (Montclair);
New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: FreeSpace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair); Dance Therapy (Maurice Chestnut - Artistic Director/Newark); 10 Hairy Legs (Randy James - Artistic Director/Highland Park); Robert Mark Dance (Robert Mark Burke - Artistic Director/Hoboken -
DOTL's 2015 "Emerging NJ Choreographer" through the auspices of DOTL's ongoing mentorship program)
New York Companies: Special choreography by Troy Powell (Artistic Director - Ailey II); PROJECT 44 DANCE (Gierre J. Godley/Director); & Stephen Petronio Company.
The 2016 line up included:
2016 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Kyle Marshall
New Jersey Schools: Grooves Unlimited Dance Studio (Livingston); Kathy Costa's DanceWorks & Company (Montclair); Sharron Miller's Academy for the Performing Arts' Performance Workshop Ensemble (Montclair) & Nancy Turano's New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit)
New Jersey Companies: FreeSpace Dance (Donna Scro - Artistic Director/Montclair); "Dance Therapy" (Maurice Chestnut - Artistic Director/Newark);
10 Hairy Legs (Randy James - Artistic Director/Highland Park) & Carolyn Dorfman (Carolyn Dorfman - Artistic Director/Union)
New York Companies: New Work by Troy Powell (Artistic Director - Ailey II); ZEST Collective (Gentry George - Artistic Director); &
Keigwin + Company (Larry Keigwin - Artistic Director)
The 2015 lineup included:
2015 "Emerging Commissioned New Jersey Choreographer" - Robert Mark Burke
New Jersey Schools: Nancy Turano’s New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit), Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts’ Performance Workshop Ensemble (SMAPA/PWE- Montclair), Kathy Costa’s DanceWorks & Company (Montclair) and Andrea Kramer's Ballet Forte (Chester);
New Jersey Companies: Maurice Chestnut (Newark), Donna Scro’s Freespace Dance (Montclair) and Randy James’ 10 Hairy Legs (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Janis Brenner & Dancers, choreography by Troy Powell (Ailey II - Artistic Director), Darrell Moultrie's DanceGrandMoultrie, and BHdos: The Second Company of Ballet Hispanico;
The 2014 lineup included:
New Jersey Schools: Nancy Turano’s New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (Summit), Sharron Miller’s Academy for the Performing Arts’ Performance Workshop Ensemble (SMAPA/PWE- Montclair) and Kathy Costa’s DanceWorks & Company (Montclair);
New Jersey Companies: Maurice Chestnut (Newark), Donna Scro’s Freespace Dance (Montclair) and Randy James’ 10 Hairy Legs (Highland Park)
New York Companies: Seán Curran Company & Brice Mousset’s Oui Danse