Jose Limón Research Paper

JOSE LIMON
José Arcadio Limón was born on the 12th January, 1908 in Culiacan, Mexico. At aged seven, to escape the Mexican Revolution, his family moved to Arizona, USA and later to California.
Initially studying to be a painter at the University of California, Limón did not see his first dance concert until 1928. This performance had a profound effect on Limón and inspired him to pursue a career in dance. From the age of 22, Limón studied dance with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman at the Humphrey-Weidman School, where he was said to be a hardworking student with plenty of talent.
It did not take long for Limón to be invited to join the Humphrey-Weidman Company where he was quickly promoted to a principle dancer and toured with the company from 1930 through to 1940.
Limón’s dance career was put on hold during 1943 when he was called for military duties during World War II.
He was released for the Services in 1945, however, by this time Humphrey-Weidman Dance School and Company had shut down due to financial problems and the co-founders had gone their separate ways.
This gave Limón the opportunity to start his own company, which he named The Limón Dance Company. With retired Artistic Director and Limón’s previous teacher, Doris Humphrey, as the company’s Artistic Director and Co-choreographer the Limón Dance Company was born and after only two years, the Company performed their first performance at The Belasco Theatre in New York. They were applauded for the efforts, praised for their performance and skill and the New York Times even reported that they believed Limón to be one of “the finest male dancer of his time”.
During his time owning Limón Dance Company, José Limón choreographed some of the most recognisable masterpieces of the time, including his signature piece The Moor’s Pavane (1949) and Ode to the Dance (1954). The Limón Dance Company soon became a ‘landmark of American Dance’ and their dances were considered modern dance
classics.
In 1954 the company travelled to South America on an exchange program where they toured and performed in a variety of different cities.
On the 29th December 1958, the 30 year partnership between Humphrey and Limón came to an end as Doris Humphrey’s passed away. After Humphrey’s death, Limón continued with the company, performing at the Lincoln Centre (1963) and the White House (1967). These were both big achievements for Limón, especially as the company was the first ever dance company to perform at the Lincoln Centre.
During his dancing career, Limón was also recognised for participating in summer programs at the American Dance Festival, was a staff member at The Julliard School Dance Division, directed at the Lincoln Centre’s American Dance Theatre, received two Dance Magazine Awards (in 1950 & 1957), the Capezio Dance Award (in 1964) and doctorates from four leading universities.
With and outstanding career now forged over many years, Limón wanted to continue to give back to the industry that he loved so much and therefore in 1968 he established the José Limón Dance Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to Limón’s passion of developing modern dance.
In 1970, Limón was diagnosed with prostate cancer and although he was in a critical state, he continued to choreograph and direct. The Company performed their final season in 1972, where Limón premiered his final piece, called Carlota. Later that year, on December 2nd, Limón passed away after struggling for two years with his cancer.
After Limón’s death, the company continued to perform under the direction of Carla Maxwell, who was later appointed Artistic Director (in 1978). The Limón Institute was added to the José Limón Dance Foundation. This Institute offered classes in Limón Technique and also oversaw the dancers in the Limón Dance Company.
Over 20 years after his death, Limón was the subject of an exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and was introduced into the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, New York 1996. The next year, the company celebrated its 50th Anniversary and in 1999 Limón’s autobiography was edited and published. After his autobiography was released, Limón was named one of ‘America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures’ by the Dance Heritage Coalition. Most recently, the Associate Artistic Director of Limón Dance Company, Roxane D’Orléans Juste, established the Limón 4Kids program to allow children to learn the Limón Technique and celebrate the Limón Legacy.