José Limón Dance Company Looks Back at 65 Years on the Stage
José Limón Dance Company Looks Back at 65 Years on the Stage
At an April Americas Society event, José Limón's Artistic Director Carla Maxwell gave the audience a tour of the Company’s illustrious history through a performance by Limón dancers and a lively discussion.
On April 10, the José Limón Dance Company visited Americas Society for the second time this season with a look back on the 65 years of the company’s history. Artistic Director Carla Maxwell guided the audience through the company’s illustrious history using video and live excerpts with two resident Limón dancers, Kathryn Alter and Daniel Fetecua Soto.
Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Company is now led by Carla Maxwell, who worked closely with Limón as a dancer before becoming artistic director in 1978. When Limón began his company, he asked Humphrey to be the artistic director, making it the first modern dance company to have an artistic director who was not also the founder. By 1947, the company had reached New York, debuting at the Belasco Theatre with Humphrey's Day on Earth. In 1948, the company first appeared at the Connecticut College American Dance Festival and would remain in residence each summer for many years. In the spring of 1950, Limón and his group appeared in Paris with Ruth Page, becoming the first American modern dance company to appear in Europe.
The Company continues to move forward with new works featuring genres of music not often found on the ballet stage. The company’s newest project premiering this summer will be a new work featuring music by jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera entitled Come With Me, with choreography by renowned Brazilian choreographer Rodrigo Pederneiras of Grupo Corpo. The project, previewed at a December 14 Music of the Americas José Limón Dance Company event, is a first for both artists and the company to combine this genre of music with dance.
For three seasons, the José Limón Dance Company has enlightened audiences at Music of the Americas Concert Series with a wide array of dance demonstrations, lectures, and thought-provoking dialogue. This variety makes the José Limón Dance Company a staple of our season year after year and keeps new audiences interested in the art of modern dance.
The José Limón Dance Company will perform their new ballet Come With Me June 19 through 24 at the Joyce Theater.
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