Limón Dance Company Comes to the Joyce in April

Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Limón Dance Company has been at the vanguard of American modern dance since its inception. The company continues to honor the legacy of its co-founders through the preservation and reconstruction of their work and gives audiences a glimpse into the future of the Limón Dance Company. Celebrating its 75th Anniversary Season at the Joyce Theater with two weeks of performances, the company will perform two programs including two world premieres, three Limòn works that have been reconstructed using archival media in a way that has never been seen before, as well as beloved modern dance classics.

In Artistic Director Dante Puleio's first New York City season, the Company takes you on a journey through Limón's past and into the present. Going back in time to one of Limón's earliest works, Danzas Mexicanas pays homage to his heritage through 5 historic Mexican figures that shaped his cultural identity. The work has never been performed by the Limón Dance Company, having little footage and only José Limón's writings and drawings from his personal "Libro de Ideas" to aid in the re-imagination of his original 1939 solos. Further exploring the idea of legacy, the company revisits Doris Humphrey's glorious Air for the G String, and returns to the original score for Limón's 1967 masterpiece, Psalm, which hasn't been heard in over 40 years. To honor Limón as the greatest dancer of his time, the Company will be joined by preeminent dancers of this generation to perform his iconic solo, Chaconne. To truly encompass the entire timeline of Limón's work the Limon Dance Company will be performing for the first time, Waldstein Sonata, the choreographer's last creation before his untimely death in 1972.

The Limón Dance Company is entering into a new era of celebration and creativity to continue preserving José Limón's legacy. This season will present two choreographers whose explosive work underscores Limón's ethos of cultural identity and hope. A new commission by Burkina Faso's Olivier Tarpaga, who, like Limón, grew up in a musical family during a revolution, celebrates the spirit and resilience of people everywhere who survived the ravages of civil war and conflict. In the second world premiere, Mexico's emerging talent Raúl Taméz brings to life stories of the trials and triumphs of Mexico's Indigenous peoples. This season will highlight Limón's impact on the modern dance world through iconic works, newly uncovered treasures, and exciting new voices, while carrying his vision into the future.