Lena Lauer
(they / she)
Director of Limón Institute
As a dance and teaching artist, Lena created and performed work from the Sonoran Desert of the Southwest to the Andes Mountains of South America. She has taught, performed and made dances for universities, inner-city schools, private studios, for adults, youth, the aging, pre-professional dancers, dance enthusiasts and dancers with disabilities. In 2013, Lena co-founded The Lovelies, a 4th-generation dance improvisation company that performs and teaches all over the U.S. Lena’s priorities include mentoring emerging young artists on their individual career path and she is thrilled to be leading Limón2 into its fifth season.
The 75th Anniversary of the Limón Dance Company brings a new legacy for the José Limón Dance Foundation:
Limón2 - The Foundation’s second Company.
Limón2 is dedicated to the development of young professionals for a sustainable career and lasting contributions to the dance world. Limón2 also seeks to generate innovative programming and accessible community engagement.
This inaugural artistic venture brings together young talent, the iconic works of José Limón, along with today’s most exciting up and coming choreographers. The treasured spirit and humanistic legacy of José Limón lives on with Limón2!
The Foundation’s second company, Limón2, was launched in 2021 with the goal of preparing early career dance professionals for a sustainable, long-lasting career in the dance world.
L2 consists of both Fellows and Company Dancers. Season 5 allows us to invite three Limón2 dancers to participate as New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellows. We strongly encourage Fellow applications from artists that identify as a person of color, and / or identify as genderqueer.
All Limón2 members will receive access to class, mentorship opportunities, and performance stipends. Second Company Dancers pay a highly subsidized tuition for the season ($4,000).
Additionally, the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts will support up to four Kenan Arts Fellows for recent alumni from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Three fellows have been selected, and one more may be chosen through this audition. Graduates from the Classes of 2020–2025 are eligible for this initial round of support.
Both Van Lier and Kenan Fellows will be enrolled in Limón2 tuition-free for one season and be paid a $500 monthly stipend for 9 months from August 2025 - May 1, 2026.
The deadline to apply for the L2 Fellowship is Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at midnight. Those invited to audition will receive full details no later than June 16.
An audition class with all who have been invited will be on June 20 from 1pm - 4pm. Call backs will take place June 21 and interviews will occur the week of June 23 in the afternoon.
Decisions will be made and shared with applicants no later than the week of July 2, 2025.
L2 spots must be formally accepted no later than July 7, 2025.
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Limón2 Season 5 Audition
MIKEY COMITO (Dancer, he/him) is from New york. He attended SUNY Brockport in 2021 on scholarship. He then completed the LimónPro and LimónLaunch training programs and is now dancing in Limón2 and for Kathryn Alter.
ANELIZ CÁZARES (Dancer, she/her) is from Nayarit, México. She graduated from the Universidad de las Américas Puebla, obtaining her BFA in Dance with Cum Laude. She completed the Limón Training Program in 2024. This is her first season with Limón2.
TYLER BRUNSON (Dancer, they/her) from New Jersey, trained at the Joffrey Ballet School, earning a BFA in Fine Arts. Tyler has worked with choreographers such as Fatima Logan-Alston, Rush Johnson & Kadeem Alston.
CASIDY CHAN (Dancer, she/her), a diverse artist born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii trained with Charlys Ing, The Rock School for Dance Education, and The University of Arizona before joining L2.
JASMINE PRESTI (Dancer, she/her) born in Long Island, New York, graduated with BFA from Adelphi University in 2022. She has worked with Kofago Dance Ensemble, based in Queens, New York. This is Jasmine’s second season with Limón2.
NYAH MALONE (Dancer, they/she) is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY. They received a BFA in Dance from LINES at Dominican University of California before joining Limón2.
NATHAN PODZIEWSKI (Dancer, they/he) is a dancer, actor, and choreographer. He graduated from The Hartt School and attended the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, where he performed some of Graham’s Repertory and other contemporary works. He is a member of the Cecilia Whalen Dance Company.
XINYI ZHANG (Dancer, she/her) is from China. She earned her BA in Performance from the Beijing Dance Academy and her MA in Dance Education from New York University. This is her second season with Limón2.
Limón2 Season 4
ADELE CARLSON (Dancer, She/Her) was raised in Houston, TX and graduated from Southern Methodist University. She has performed with Salvatore Larussa and currently Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company. This is her first season with Limón2.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawai’i, RICHARD SAYAMA (Dancer, He/Him) started dancing at the age of 16 and discovered the Limón technique in 2017.
