37 replies to this topic

[miliosr]

Hey, if Tudor deserves a centennial thread then so does Limon!

I'll update this thread periodically as I become aware of non-Limon Dance Company Limon-related performances (got that?). (When I get a chance, I'll also add performances that occurred in the first quarter of 2008.)


February

New York Theatre Ballet
NYC, Florence Gould Hall
February 8-9

Mixed bill with Mazurkas (1958)


Boston Conservatory
February 21-24

Mixed bill with Missa Brevis (1958)


Sandra Organ Dance Company
Houston, Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex
February 22-29

Mixed bill with There is a Time (1956)


March

Dancefusion
Philadelphia, Iron Gate Theater
March 7-8

Mixed bill with Barren Sceptre (1960 - reconstruction)


Juilliard School
NYC
March 26-30

Mixed bill with There Is a Time (1956)


April

New York Theatre Ballet
NYC, Florence Gould Hall
April 4, 11-12

Mixed bill with Mazurkas (1958)


Limon Conference @ Drexel University
April 6-7
Performances on the 7th @ Mandell Theater w/ Dancefusion and students from Bryn Mawr and Drexel

There Is a Time (1956) (excerpts)
Barren Sceptre (1960) (complete - reconstruction)
A Choreographic Offering (1964) (excerpts)
Psalm (1967) (excerpts?)
The Waldstein Sonata (1971/76) (excerpts)


Momentum Dance Company
Miami Beach Dance Festival
April 6, 12

Mixed bill with The Exiles (1950)


Phoenix Dance Theatre
London, Sadler's Wells
April 28-29

Mixed bill with Chaconne (1942) and The Moor's Pavane (1949)

[Amy Reusch]

He most certainly does!!

I was thinking "modern", but considering how many ballet companies have mounted "Moor's Pavane", he certainly deserves a thread on Ballettalk!

I've always thought Limon the most aesthetically balletic of the moderns... all that circular playing with gravity... while Cunningham and Balanchine (in his Agon, 4Ts mode) may have some similarities, Limon's swings & curves, suspension & releases seem like they'd marry to ballet beautifully.

[carbro]

Lubovitch works that way, too -- broad, curving movement.

[miliosr]

You would be amazed at how "classical" something like A Choreographic Offering is. Certainly, it is far closer in "feel" to the classical ballet than it is to a lot of the modern/postmodern dance that was created around the same time. But then I've always thought that Limon, at the time of his death, had more in common with the ballet (in terms of use of music, belief in craft and insistence on some kind of underlying technique) than he did with some strains of the modern dance.

If I'm not mistaken, Lubovitch studied with Limon. Given his relationship with Limon, it puzzles me why he would take the commission for Othello when Limon had already made his masterpiece based on the same subject matter -- The Moor's Pavane.

[carbro]

Lubovitch came at the subject matter from a totally different direction from Limon. LL's was literal and narrative, JL's abstract. Also, LL choreographed to a commissioned score. Aside from the shared source, the two works have nothing in common, unlike, say, Balanchine's vs. Ashton's treatment of A Midsummer Night's Dream to Mendelssohn.

[bart]

I've always thought Limon the most aesthetically balletic of the moderns... all that circular playing with gravity... while Cunningham and Balanchine (in his Agon, 4Ts mode) may have some similarities, Limon's swings & curves, suspension & releases seem like they'd marry to ballet beautifully.

You would be amazed at how "classical" something like A Choreographic Offering is. Certainly, it is far closer in "feel" to the classical ballet than it is to a lot of the modern/postmodern dance that was created around the same time. But then I've always thought that Limon, at the time of his death, had more in common with the ballet (in terms of use of music, belief in craft and insistence on some kind of underlying technique) than he did with some strains of the modern dance.

Very interesting points. Moor's Pavane is the only Limon work I remember in any detail at all. I notice that a dvd that includes the 1955 televised performance is being advertised on Amazon. (Cllick the Amazon box above; search "Moor's Pavane").

It would be fascinating to hear more about balletic elements (or not) in Limon. Also: What kind of future do you think Limon's works will have? Will they be restricted to a specialist audience? Would they -- or some of them -- fit well into the repertories, and with the dancers, of today's ballet companies?

[miliosr]

I guess I find Lubovitch's decision less comprehensible in a "competitive" sense than an artistic one. Regardless of how he tried to differentiate his version of Othello from Limon's, the comparison was always going to be there. And that's a playing field where Lubovitch was always going to be at a sharp disadvantage.

Regarding the future of Limon's works, I would say that the picture is a lot brighter now than it was at the time of his death. When Limon died, there was no mention of the works themselves (or who owned them) in his will, there was no underlying administrative organization or fundraising capacity, and he and his works were seen as out-of-step with the prevailing Balanchinean/Judsonite modes. Cue to 36 years later and you have a stable, functioning company bearing his name which performs his works all over the world. (Which is more than can be said for Antony Tudor -- although New York Theatre Ballet seems to be trying to fill that role [at least incipiently.])

As to which companies (other than the flagship company) should perform his works, I would say that certain works would be better suited to a modern/postmodern/contemporary group and certain works would be better suited to a ballet company. In the latter group, I would put Chaconne (1942), The Moor's Pavane (1949), Mazurkas (1958) and A Choreographic Offering (1964). (Keep in mind that I haven't seen everything -- but I'm working on it!)

[Amy Reusch]

There was a beautiful film shown at the Dance On Camera festival a few years ago... "Limon: A Life Beyond Words," ... just dug a bit and here's a link to the movie's site: http://www.limon.tv/ Alas, the video clip doesn't show much dancing, but I remember there is some beautiful footage in the film.

The site mentions that University & Museum viewings are free... otherwise one can buy the DVD for $50. More pricey than a Hollywood Blockbuster, but they can use economics of scale to bring their price down... something the independent filmmaker doesn't have access to... that $50 would be well spent.

[sandik]

Very interesting points. Moor's Pavane is the only Limon work I remember in any detail at all. I notice that a dvd that includes the 1955 televised performance is being advertised on Amazon. (Cllick the Amazon box above; search "Moor's Pavane").

Oh, I really recommend this one, especially for Pauline Koner's performance of the Friend's Wife in Moor's Pavane. Her byplay with the handkerchief is wonderful -- she really has the distinction between quick and just fast as she snaps it up -- she's like a fox.

... Also: What kind of future do you think Limon's works will have? Will they be restricted to a specialist audience? Would they -- or some of them -- fit well into the repertories, and with the dancers, of today's ballet companies?

As someone else mentions here, the process of securing the rights to the work and establishing a caretaker for that repertory has been a long and complex one. I certainly agree that the style is comprehensible to ballet trained dancers (though I've seen productions of MP that were much too lightweight) and certainly the narrative quality is very accessible. Coming off a recent Pacific Northwest Ballet program with Forsythe's table dance I see nothing in the Limon rep that might be off-putting to a ballet audience.

[Amy Reusch]

On May 10th in Hartford at the Bushnell, the Ted Hershey Dance Marathon 10th Anniversar concert will present the Limon Company
http://www.tedhershey.com/program/

Choreographers include:

Michael Uthoff: Guest Artist Director and Advisor for the 10th Anniversary, and former director of Hartford Ballet. Danced by members of the Hartford Community chosen by audition.
-Duet from Romeo and Juliet originally created for Ted Hershey
-Mock Turtle from Alice in Wonderland
-Ode to Jose

Antony Tudor: One of the great choreographers of the 20th Century who was highly revered by Ted Hershey. His work will be performed by Juilliard Students to honor the Centennial of his birth.
-Dark Elegies

Jose Limon and Limon Company: The José Limón company, which is celebrating the Centennial of Limón's birth, will be performing
-Excerpts from There is a Time

Ted Hershey
-Between Us Glimmering, originally commissioned by the Hartford Ballet in memory of Rob Kowalski
-Village Suite, choreographed with Laura Glenn
-One, created by Ted for Laura and performed at the Bushnell by WORKS alumna Lisa Matais

Pilobolus:, DVD screening of excerpt of work performed by Hartford Ballet while on tour in China featuring Ted Hershey.
-Land's Edge, with Ted Hershey as "The Fool".

[miliosr]

While were on the subject of what the Limon Dance Company is doing in the month of May, the mailers I've received from them state that the company will be reconstructing Anna Sokolow's Rooms throughout the month. This isn't the first time they've performed a Sokolow work and a certain "cousinage" appears to have developed over time between the Limon followers and the Sokolow followers. And who says there's no such thing as a successful modern dance repertory company?

[Amy Reusch]

While were on the subject of what the Limon Dance Company is doing in the month of May, the mailers I've received from them state that the company will be reconstructing Anna Sokolow's Rooms throughout the month. This isn't the first time they've performed a Sokolow work and a certain "cousinage" appears to have developed over time between the Limon followers and the Sokolow followers. And who says there's no such thing as a successful modern dance repertory company?

Would there be a problem with different styles of modern dance... jack-of-all-trades, master of none? Still, I'd like to see it... the masterpieces out there that die when their parent dies sadden me... who might perform outside of their ghost companies? Beyond college students, I mean? We need a few good modern dance rep companies... can't they include dancers with strengths in different styles, just as a ballet company often has dancers with strengths in different types of ballet?

[miliosr]

I would argue that the Ailey and Limon companies have proven that the modern dance can foster true, multiple choreographer repertory companies without having to employ specialists in every modern technique (Cunningham, Graham, Horton, Humphrey-Limon). Given that a sound modern training in 2008 will encompass the different modern techniques (as well as ballet technique), a modern dancer in the Ailey or Limon companies should be able to work from a sound technical basis to handle most non-ballet dances. Where it gets interesting is with the notion of style. The Limon company performing Sokolow may end up with more of an alternative reading of the piece than a defining reading (much the way the Paris Opera Ballet's performance of Jewels is fascinating but probably will never become the "definitive" reading.)

[Amy Reusch]

Well, I guess so... I have trouble getting around the choreographer's name as the company name, I guess.. but I suppose that's just my problem.... I didn't have any trouble with The Joffrey doing other work than Robert Joffrey's, after all... Somehow, though I was thinking more along the lines of Ririe-Woodbury, whom I've heard of but never seen, or when Baryshnikov did those Judson reconstructions.... I'll have to re-think Ailey & Limon, I guess. I remember seeing the Graham company do Stroman and really disliking it; it seemed like ill chosen repertory for Graham dancers... although I was sitting next to a former Graham dancer who quite liked it and presumably knew more about what suits Graham dancers!

[miliosr]

If you live in the LA area, it looks like the Limon company will be performing all over LA in October. Details are at their Web site.