JDT & FRIENDS to Showcase Dance Collaboration at Florida Theatre

Amelia Island Dance Festival (AIDF), Jacksonville Dance Theatre (JDT) and the Florida Theatre are proud to announce JDT & Friends on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 4 p.m. at the historic Florida Theatre in downtown Jacksonville. This spectacular concert brings together two critically acclaimed dance companies, Jacksonville Dance Theatre and the Jon Lehrer Dance Company (JLDC), showing exciting, theatrical and compelling new works, highlighting the artistic range and creative vision of both companies.

“Sharing the stage with Jon Lehrer Dance Company is a real honor for us,” said JDT Artistic Director Rebecca R. Levy. “Jon's work brings such clarity, musicality, and physical intelligence, and I'm equally proud of the incredible artists of JDT. Bringing our two companies together creates a powerful evening of dance for our Jacksonville community.”

JDT & Friends features a dynamic program of works from both companies, showcasing a range of choreographic voices and movement traditions.

Jacksonville Dance Theatre opens with La Folia/The Madness, a striking theme-and-variations work by Artistic Director Rebecca R. Levy, drawn from the historic musical form La Folia. Three women inhabit an undefined space where alliances shift and tensions simmer, navigating power, intimacy, and hierarchy through intricate physical dialogue. Guest choreographer Susan Dodge, a former company member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company and Taylor 2, contributes Tabula Rasa — a piece that examines how one individual can influence and manipulate the group around them. Starting from a blank slate, what begins as openness slowly transforms as control, power, and human vulnerability take shape.

JDT will reprise a 2024 commission by Louis Kavouras, a former principal dancer with the Erick Hawkins Dance Company, called Episodes of Snow. Drawing on the breath-driven, fluid movement philosophy of the Hawkins technique, the work reveals a poetic relationship between body, space, and sound. Rounding out JDT's program is Chasm, a compelling contemporary work by emerging choreographer Jessica Plonka. Structured around the forces of Expectation, Drive, Sacrifice, and Balance, Chasm explores the powerful pull of passion — and the personal cost that often accompanies it — as dancers navigate the human search for purpose.

Jon Lehrer Dance Company brings four works by acclaimed choreographer Jon Lehrer, whose signature movement language blends the fluidity of modern dance with the dynamic energy of jazz. Known for choreography that is both athletic and expressive, Lehrer's work fuses artistry, momentum, and theatricality — often described as “organically athletic” — balancing virtuosic physicality with humor and humanity. Fused delivers a driving combination of classical and contemporary movement, while Volt is a high-octane showcase of the company's explosive athleticism and precision. Mingos! offers a playful contrast — a raucous, Las Vegas-inspired romp where a flamboyance of flamingos transforms into an ostentation of peacocks. The program closes with Led to Love, set to the iconic music of Led Zeppelin, channeling the raw power of rock into Lehrer's bold, exhilarating choreography. Together, these works highlight the inventive, entertaining, and physically thrilling style that has earned Lehrer and his company international acclaim.

“A core part of Amelia Island Dance Festival's mission is connecting artists and audiences across Northeast Florida,” said Susan Dodge, Executive Artistic Director of Amelia Island Dance Festival. “Bringing Jon Lehrer Dance Company together with Jacksonville Dance Theatre at the Florida Theatre creates a rare opportunity for our community to experience nationally recognized artists alongside the incredible talent we have right here at home.”

A special VIP reception will be held before the performance at 3 p.m. in the Florida Theatre's PNC Lounge. For $15, guests can enjoy a complimentary drink, light bites, and cash bar while mingling with other dance enthusiasts.