Jose Limon Biography

Jó Jose Limon-- (January 12, 1908 – December 2, 1972) Jose Arcadio Limon was born January 12, 1908 in Culiacán, Mexico. Jose was the first of 11 other siblings in his family. In 1915 Jose and his family moved to the United States. After Jose graduated from Lincoln High School, in California he entered the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as an art major. Limón moved to New York City in 1928 after a year at UCLA. It was here that he saw his first dance program, "What I saw simply and irrevocably changed my life. I saw the dance as a vision of ineffable power. A man could, with dignity and towering majesty, dance... dance as Michelangelo's visions dance and as the music of Bach dances." Jose then began to study under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. Limon's talent was immediately evident and he began performing with Humphery and Weidman's company from 1930- 1940 and started choreographing himself. After ten years with the company, Jose Limon served in World War II and after, decided to start his own company, the Limon Dance Company in 1947 with Doris Humphrey was his artistic director. Jose's choreography shows a modern dance expression, defined structures. His works seem to be very athletic and dramatized. One of his most celebrated works; The Moor’s Pavane (1949) a haunting dance based on Shakespeare's Othello. His many other dances include La Malinche (1949), There Is a Time (1956), and The Unsung (1970). In 1950 his company became the first major U.S. modern dance group to perform in Europe; four years later it traveled to South America, and subsequently it toured worldwide. Limón’s choreographic works were quickly recognized as masterpieces and the Company itself became a landmark of American dance. Many of his dances—There is a Time, Missa Brevis, Psalm, The Winged—are considered classics of modern dance. Limon was an active choreographer until his death. He choreographed at least one new piece each year and was also an influential teacher and advocate for modern dance. He was in residence each summer at the American Dance Festival, a key faculty member in The Juilliard School's Dance Division beginning in 1953, and the director of Lincoln Center's American Dance Theatre from 1964-65. Limón received two Dance Magazine Awards, the Capezio Award and honorary doctorates from four universities in recognition of his achievements. He was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, The Dance Heroes of José Limón (Fall 1996), and in 1997 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY. His autobiographical writings, An Unfinished Memoir, were edited by Lynn Garafola and published in 1999 by Wesleyan University Press. Today the José Limón Dance Foundation maintains an active dance company as well as facilities for teaching, licensing, and other activities. Jose Limon Institute The Jose Limon Institute is the official school of the Limon Dance Company. The technique is based on principles of weight, fall and recovery as established by Jose Limon and his mentors, Doris Humphrey and Chalres Weidman. Students can study classical American modern dance through the Limon technique, in-depth, with current and former members of the company such as: Joe Alegado, Colin Connor, Alan Danielson, Laura Flowers, Gary Masters, Jim May, Joh-Mario Sevilla, Risa Steinberg, Malou Thein and Kathy Wildberger. The large studio at the Institute allows for students from all over the world to study composition, performance skills and repertory through several workshops. The Limon technique can also be studied at Dance Space and Peridance.-- www.ny.com/dance/joselimon.html Limon Dance Company Site:

http://www.ny.com/cgibin/frame.cgi?url=http://www.limon.org/&frame=/frame/dance.html

Sources: www.limon.org,en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Limón,José Limón — Infoplease.com