Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance will mark its 25th anniversary as a contemporary ballet company with performances of new and repertory works on July 8 and 9 at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 W 37th Street, New York City. The event includes the premiere of La Mar Emocional, plus four pieces from the company’s repertoire.
This milestone season will celebrate CLD’s remarkable journey, bringing together artists from their founding shows in 2000, current dancers, and former members who have performed with the company over the past 25 years. They aim to explore new artistic horizons, challenge conventions, and create theater-dance that resonates with the intellect and the soul. Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance blends dance and music in powerful ways.
The 25th Anniversary performances include the following works from Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance.
Set to the vibrant and romantic strains of Rachmaninoff’s Preludes in G and A major, Episodes (2025) is a dynamic male/female duet. The first movement offers moments of tender engagement, while the second unfolds into a rhapsodic expression of full-bodied ballet lexicon, punctuated by sweeping motion and thrilling lifts.
Tryptych (2012) features two distinct movements connecting Francois Couperin’s Troisième Leçons à deux voix with Scott Killian’s commissioned music, inspiring Lavagnino to create a movement of quiet beauty, reverence, and sorrow.
The Winter’s Tale, excerpts (2024) is based on one of William Shakespeare’s last great plays, with original music created in collaboration between choreographer Cherylyn Lavagnino and composer Martin Bresnick. Utilizing gestures inspired by sign language, the movement vocabulary allows performers to portray joy, madness, betrayal, jealousy, and passion.
Veiled (2016) a work for seven women which examines the idea of preserving physical and internal grace in the face of oppression of any kind. While Martin Bresnick’s Prayers Remain Forever inspired the choreography, Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi, and The Art of Grace by Sarah L. Kaufman provided the initial creative research.
The ocean has long been personified by ancient civilizations. Lavagnino began to understand why it has this effect on humans—why societies created god-like figures to explain its magical, expressive nature. La Mar Emocional is a movement driven, ambient response to the dramatic and stirring shifts of a powerful and multi-dimensional ocean. Inspired by its ever-changing moods, this pieceexplores the sea as an emotional presence—alive, mysterious, and deeply resonant. Scott Killian’s original score creates a dramatic aural environment that mirrors the sea’s shifting energies and emotional depth, heightening the overall experience.
RU (2014) describes a young woman’s life as a post-Vietnam War political refugee, highlighting cultural dislocation and identity struggles. Inspired by Kim Thúy’s novel, Lavagnino created this emotional work to address the hardships faced by refugees separated from their families and homeland.
“Our 25th anniversary season pays tribute to the outstanding collaborators who have contributed significantly to our repertoire over the years,”said Artistic Director Cherylyn Lavagnino.“The premiere of La Mar Emocional, with a dramatic new score from Scott Killian, along with RU, Triptych, Veiled, and The Winter’s Tale featuring Martin Bresnick’s beloved scores, will complete the program. The integration of live music will provide an additional auditory dimension to the performance, creating an immersive experience.”
Cherylyn Lavagnino’s choreographic mission is to create movement that engages an audience by aligning the rigor of ballet with the humanistic performance values of contemporary dance. Her choreography uses pointe work as a platform to delve into the range of human interaction and emotion. The unconventional use of ballet expresses complex and honest portrayals through the choreography and the dancers. Music plays a significant role in Lavagnino’s creative process, influencing the imagery.
Tickets for Cherlyn Lavagnino Dance’s 25th Anniversary Celebration are on sale now. Cost is $25 for general admission and $20 for Artist/Student. Performances are 7:30-9 pm on July 8 and 9 at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music.
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