Limón Dance Company

Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the company is acclaimed for its “dramatic expression, technical mastery and expansive, yet nuanced movement.” Choreography combines power and finesse, aesthetic combinations and impressionistic narrative.

“We believe that we are never more truly and profoundly human than when we dance.” José Limón

The Traitor (1954)
Choreography: José Limón
Music: Gunther Schuller, Symphony for Brass and Percussion
Staging and Direction: Kurt Douglas
Soloist-The Leader: M.J. Edwards; Soloist The Traitor: Nicolas Ruscica
José Limón’s response to the McCarthy hearings and the climate of betrayal that haunted the arts and entertainment fields.

Photo by Kelly Puleio

Arches of a ruin. Ominous music. Whispers. Dancers circle. One is outside. Arm over arm others unify. Limón choreography is full of circles. The Leader appears. Dancers bow and kneel, yet don’t let him in. Instead, he’s lifted, stepping forward onto palms and onto a back. The Outsider tries to get near him. He ends on the floor reaching, then fetal.

The group (disciples) carry a sheet pulled tight to become a tabletop. They create a tableau resembling The Last Supper. The Leader blesses them. They disband. The Outsider gathers the discarded sheet. With small, rapid steps (signature to Limón), he comes forward draping it on The Leader like a toga. Two dancers march him away, manhandling The Outsider…who dies by his own hand. Leaning, braiding of arms, vertical lifts, jumps onto shoulders and tension penetrate. Arms lift straight up in Hallelujah. Arresting.

Musical Interlude: Douglas Perkins – Percussion
Scherzo (1955)
Choreography: José Limón
Composer: Hazel Johnson
Soloist drummer/dancer Kieran King
Percussionist: Douglas Perkins
Reconstruction 2024 Dante Puleio
A work that began as a movement and rhythm student developed into a full piece

Photo by Christopher Jones

Three dancers play with one another to splendid percussion. They smile. The company displays cohesive expression. They lean, tip, clap, and stomp. One brings in a midsize drum which is tossed like a ball, hit in passing, or centered on the floor. Occasionally the percussionist pauses to allow that which occurs onstage to resonate. Heads and shoulders rotate. Arabesques are bent, then whirl. Rapid steps morph to slides. Clapping becomes rhythmic. Arms whoosh freely. ‘Companionable, exuberant.

The Quake that Held Them All (2024)World Premiere
Choreography: Kayla Farrish
Composer: Alex Mackinnon
The work peers into and honors traditions, rituals, and migrant stories of lineage.

Photo by Kayla Farish

Music sounds Arabic or African. Dancers are thrown torn, tossed by unseen nature. There’s a push/pull against one another. Spinning segues to floor work. Music becomes sinuous as individual performers appear puppetted by great force. A circle forms. Single dancers break free as if testifying. Gestures are short and sharp; hands open.

Even the pas de deux is push/pull. One carries another wounded? on his back. There’s a low rumble, a bowed instrument. Dancers move in unison; leap, plié, kick. The company lines up. They stomp, spin like tops; argue loudly, unintelligibly. Chaos accelerates. Movement jerks. All are blown as one. There’s a point when light emerges – the sun? and all look up gratefully. A better time to end.

Two Ecstatic Themes (1931)
Choreography: Doris Humphrey
Music: A.: Circular Descent—Trageodie Fragment a-moll, Op 7 No. 2 by Nikolai Karolovich Medtner
B. Pointed Ascent —Maschere Che Passano for Piano by Gian Francesco Malipiero
Soloist Jessica Sgambelluri
Pianist: Michael Scales
Staging: Gail Corbin

Photo by John Herr

Ostensibly this depicts two elements of life “circular, spiral, soft and sinking in contrast to “stridence and aggressive achievement.” Though the soloist is precise, graceful, and intent and choreography describes its themes, the piece doesn’t hold interest.

Missa Brevis (1958)
Choreography: José Limón
Music: Zoltán Kodály, Missa Brevis in Tempore Belli
Soloist The Outsider: Eric Parra
Remaster 2024: Darron L. West
Reconstruction 2024: Kathryn Alter and Kurt Douglas

Photo by Hisae Aihara

Bare stage; brick wall. Faces are ecstatic or solemn. Palms extend straight up. Arms cross above heads, fist under chins, bend elbows over eyes. Eyes gaze toward the heavens. Dancers kneel, prostrate themselves; are horizontally borne. Invocation and entreaty pervade. A regal preacher seems to exemplify rather than sermonize. Connection is central. Dancers key off one another or entwine, then bend to unfold. The piece is weighty with dignified intention. But a bit long.

Artistic Director Dante Puleio speaks briefly about the company acknowledging “Themes of hope, isolation, and community that comes together as an awakening, shared experience, and looking at the world through new perspective.”

Opening Photo by Kelly Pileio

Limón Dance Company
Executive Director -Michelle Preston
Artistic Director -Dante Puleio
Musicians: Douglas Perkins – percussion; Michael Scales- piano

Joyce Theater 
175 Eighth Avenue