Limón Dance Company Free to Rep February 3 - 16, 2008
mancc research highlights
from residency
The Limón Dance Company was the selected repertory company for MANCC's 2008 Free to Rep program, which provides subsidized research and development time for U.S. based repertory companies and choreographers who have not previously worked together. The participating choreographers were selected from a competitive proposal and review process and were Colin Connor (CA), Ellen Cornfield (NY) and Neta Pulvermacher (NY). The primary goal of the two-week program was to encourage artistic exploration in a supportive environment void of the usual time and financial constraints surrounding many commissioning structures.
One of the world’s great modern dance companies, the Company’s repertory balances classic works steeped in the legacy of José Limón, with commissions from over 60 contemporary choreographers. As such, the company illustrates the timelessness of José Limón’s work and vision, while offering a repertory of unparalled breadth. Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Company is now led by Carla Maxwell, who worked closely with Limón before becoming Artistic Director in 1978.
“Attention all choreographers: if you want to get better, go see the Limón Dance Company. The company is thriving 60 years after its founding by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, and thanks to artistic director Carla Maxwell, there's no sign of a slow down.” -Danceviewtimes, Lisa Rinehart, November 16, 2006
Limón Dance Company
Carla Maxwell, Artistic Director
Roxane D’Orleans Juste, Artistic Associate
Limón Dance Company is acclaimed as “one of the world’s great dance companies,” and renowned for its dramatic expression, and technical mastery. The Limón Dance Company pioneered the idea that it was possible to survive the death of its founder, setting an example for the entire dance field. The Company is the living legacy of the movement technique and philosophy of theater developed by José Limón and his mentors, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, whose innovative works have been recognized as great masterworks of American dance. In addition, the Company commissions new works and acquisitions from other master choreographers, including Doug Varone, Mark Haim, Ralph Lemon, Garth Fagan, Donald McKayle, Murray Louis, Kurt Jooss, Susanne Linke, Lar Lubovitch, Meredith Monk, Alwin Nikolais, Daniel Nagrin, Anna Sokolow and Jiří Kylián. In its first half-century, the Limón Dance Company achieved many important milestones: it was the first group to tour under the auspices of the American Cultural Exchange Program (1954), the first dance troupe to perform at Lincoln Center (1963), and has had the honor of appearing twice at The White House (1967 and 1995). A recipient of the NEA's Millennium Grant, the Limón Dance Company initiated a program to expand its legacy with a major initiative providing support to independent choreographers and reconstructing modern dance masterworks that are in danger of being lost. The Company is the performing component of the José Limón Dance Foundation.
Carla Maxwell (Artistic Director) joined the Limón Dance Company in 1965. She soon became a principal dancer under Limón's direction and, in 1975, Assistant Artistic Director under Ruth Currier. Ms. Maxwell was appointed Artistic Director in 1978, and during her tenure, the Company has emerged as one of the finest repertory dance ensembles in the world. She received the 1995 Dance Magazine Award and a 1998 New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Award for finding a creative present in the context of a revered past, and thereby offering choreographic opportunity to multiple generations of artists; for inspired leadership and artistic accomplishment. Acclaimed as a brilliant dramatic dancer, she danced many major roles with the Company, including the title role in Carlota, Limón’s final ballet which he choreographed for her. Ms. Maxwell is responsible for many of the Company's reconstructions of Limón dances, and as a choreographer, she has created works for the Company and regional companies throughout the U.S. She teaches internationally as both a representative of the Company and a guest artist-in-residence.
Roxane D’Orléans Juste (Artistic Associate), a native of Montreal, Canada, has been a member of the Limón Dance Company since 1983. She has also performed with the Eleo Pomare Dance Company and Annabelle Gamson Dance Solos. Ms. D’Orléans Juste’s choreography has been presented by Toronto Danceworks, Shoenberg Dancycle, Dia Center for the Arts, L’Agora de la Danse, The Yard, and the Museé du Quebec. She was honored with the Canadian Dance Award, Le Prix Jacqueline Lemieux (1980), and is the recipient of several grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Foundation for Creation in Fine Arts. An active master teacher, she also stages José Limón’s choreography for companies and ensembles around the world. She was appointed Artistic Associate in 2002.
COLLABORATORS
Colin Connor, choreographer
Ellen Cornfield, choreographer
Neta Pulvermacher, choreographer
Colin Connor (choreographer) is a choreographer whose over forty commissions span the worlds of contemporary, ballet and flamenco companies. Mr. Connor’s performing career includes eight years as a soloist with the Limón Dance Company. Born in London, England, he began dancing in Canada, and he also danced with the Mary Anthony Dance Theater, performed in his own work and was a guest with many other companies.
His work focuses on drawing from a large range of influences, musical, literary, social and scientific, all used to bring attention back to the communicative power of the human body. Mr. Connor has had his work presented at numerous venues across the Americas and Europe, including the Momment’ Homme Festival in Montreal, The Holland Festival in Den Hague, the Festival Internacional de Danza Contemporanea in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and the Joyce Theater in New York. His Full Sail (In Praise of Storms) won Sarasota Ballet’s International Choreography Competition and he was also a winner of the Charleston Ballet Theatre’s Fountainhead Choreography Competition. He was twice a guest choreographer at both The Yard and The Carlisle Project. As an educator, Mr. Connor has been on the faculties of The Juilliard School, New York University (where he also worked as a choreographer and movement teacher for the Theater Dept’s Classical Studio,) and the City College of New York (where he was also Choreographer in Residence.) He has been a guest teacher at many of the finest training centers in the world including The Place in London, the Rotterdamse Dansacademie, Jacob’s Pillow, Dresden’s Palucca Schule, the Joffrey Summer Workshop, The Dance Studio in Novosibirsk, Russia, and the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem. He has been full-time faculty at the California Institute of the Arts for six years.
Ellen Cornfield (choreographer), choreographer, dancer, teacher, has been working in her field for over thirty years. She grew up playing and singing in the expansive outdoor space of the Virginia countryside, setting the compass for her future artistic life. She began modern dance training (Graham Technique) in 1968 at the University of California at Berkeley, then moved to New York City to study and perform with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (1974-1982). She formed CORNFIELD DANCE in 1989 to support her choreographic investigations, and has traveled with her company throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Japan, bringing her lush and elegant choreography to new audiences. The company’s most recent international performances were in Poland, at the X International Dance Festival in Bytom and Krakow (July 2003), and in Russia at the OPEN LOOK Festival in St. Petersburg (July 2003). Cornfield's reach as an artist/teacher has extended throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. She has conducted residencies at some of the most important dance institutions in the US, including North Carolina School of the Arts, the State University of New York at Purchase, Ohio State University, and her alma mater UC Berkeley.
Neta Pulvermacher (choreographer) was born in Kibbutz Lehavot Habashan, Israel, and graduated from Juilliard in 1985. She holds an MFA from Hollins University and an MA from Teachers College Columbia University. She founded The Neta Dance Company in 1987 and since then has choreographed over 60 works for her company as well as other companies and
institutions. She received choreographic commissions from various modern and ballet companies including Ballet Arizona, Ballet New England, Vertigo Dance Company (Israel), The Repertory Project in Ohio, Alvin Ailey/Fordham, the North Carolina School of the Arts, the Belarus Institute of Culture in among others. In New York her company has been presented at Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, The Joyce, DNA, The Knitting Factory, Merkin Concert Hall, Symphony Space, The Miller Theater, The Flea Theater and The Kitchen, among others. Pulvermacher received choreographer’s fellowships from the NEA and NYFA , a special choreography award from Bessie Schönberg and support from numerous other foundations. She is the founder, curator and producer of the critically acclaimed A.W.A.R.D. Show! Series held at Joyce SoHo. She has taught at Barnard College, Princeton University, Manhattanville College, The American Dance Festival, and The Frank Sinatra High School for Performing Arts in Queens. Most recently Neta choreographed for Mira Nair's film, The Namesake. Recent projects also include: performances at DNA in NYC, the American Dance Festival, University of Florida and Roger Williams University. Neta is an assistant professor of dance at the University of Florida and is also on faculty at ADF. Upcoming projects: setting a work on the Douglas Anderson High School in Florida and in Israel for the Klor Music and Dance Center and the Kibbutz Dance Company workshop. She is thrilled to be invited to the Free To Rep of MANCC at FSU to work with the Limon Dance Company. She is the proud mother of her son, Alon.
