Research on Limon Technique
Modern dance pioneer José Limón was born on January 12, 1908, in Culiacán, Mexico. His family immigrated to the United States when he was a boy, and he grew up in Los Angeles, California. A move to New York in 1928 brought Limón into contact with the modern dance world. He trained as a dancer and became a major performer and choreographer, eventually founding his own dance company in 1947. Internationally celebrated for his powerful and influential style, Limón died in New Jersey in 1972.
The dance technique he created focuses on the movement of breath through the body, the dynamic use of weight in each body part and the fluid succession of one movement into the next.
The Limón technique is divided among various physical extremes: fall and recovery, rebound, weight, suspension, succession and isolation. These ideas can be illustrated in the way a dancer uses the floor as a place from which to rise, return to and then rise from again.
Technique Journal
4th Jan: Learnt 3 warm up exercises which focus on the articulation of the spine. We also focused on the use of torso and core strength. Learnt a leap sequence from the corner which consisted of a split and middle leaps.
Feedback: Relax your shoulders during spine articulation exercises.
Use upper back curve and core strength.
11th Jan: Learnt new floor sequence and spent the entire lesson working on it.
Feedback: Land on calves when spinning into the floor and not knees - avoids injury.
Make sure the weight goes on your shoulders while performing a windmill.
18th Jan: Learnt a new floor phrase, similar to the one from the previous week, but longer. It included backwards rolls.
Practised contemporary handstands from the corner.
Also learnt a balletic phrase.
Feedback: While doing a backward roll, make sure one of the legs is straight and pointed as it will elongate your body.
Use your PALMS while doing a handstand as I often tend to use my fingertips.
During the ballet phrase, use core to balance.
25th Jan: I was not present for the next two weeks as I was on holiday in India.
8th Feb: This was the final week for all technique classes and therefore, it was assessment week. Emmeline did not want to assess us as she did not get enough time with the second years and it was too soon for her to assess us.
We went over all the spine articulation exercises and also all the floor sequences.
We also went over the corner work.