9.3 Doris Humphrey and José Limón

Doris Humphrey revolutionized dance with her theory of fall and recovery. She emphasized natural movement cycles, breath rhythm, and weight manipulation, creating a dynamic and expressive dance style that broke from traditional ballet forms.

Humphrey's collaboration with José Limón further developed these principles, blending her theories with his powerful dancing. Their partnership shaped modern dance, influencing generations of dancers and choreographers with their innovative approaches to movement and storytelling.

Doris Humphrey's Dance Theory

Key principles of Humphrey's theory

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• Fall and recovery
  • Natural cycle of falling and recovering forms the basis of all movement
  • Dancers initiate movement by surrendering to gravity and then recover from the fall
  • Creates a sense of tension and release in the dance (suspension and resolution)
• Breath rhythm
  • Incorporates the natural rhythm of breathing into choreography
  • Movements often originate from the torso, reflecting the expansion and contraction of the lungs
  • Helps create a sense of organic flow in the dance (ebb and flow)
• Use of weight
  • Emphasizes the use of the body's weight to create dynamic and expressive movements
  • Dancers surrender to gravity and use their weight to generate momentum (falling, swinging, suspending)
  • Conscious manipulation of weight allows for a wide range of movement qualities (light, strong, sustained, sudden)

Humphrey-Limón collaboration

• Began working together in the 1930s with Humphrey as choreographer and Limón as leading male dancer
• Developed a close artistic partnership, with Humphrey creating works showcasing Limón's powerful and expressive dancing
• Limón helped refine and expand Humphrey's dance theories, particularly the use of weight and the male dancer's role
• Established the Humphrey-Limón Company, which became a leading force in American modern dance (1940s-1950s)

Choreographic approaches of Humphrey vs Limón

• Humphrey's approach
  • Emphasized fall and recovery, breath rhythm, and weight
  • Explored social and political themes (impact of war, struggle for human dignity)
  • Developed movement motifs that became hallmarks of her style (arc, spoke)
• Limón's approach
  • Built upon Humphrey's principles but incorporated elements of his Mexican heritage and male perspective
  • Explored themes of masculinity, heroism, and the human condition
  • Developed a distinctive vocabulary emphasizing weight, gravity, and the pelvis as the center of movement
• Expanded the range of movement possibilities in modern dance by introducing new concepts (fall and recovery, breath rhythm, conscious manipulation of weight)

Significance of Humphrey-Limón legacy

• Played a crucial role in the development of American modern dance
• Helped establish modern dance as a distinct art form, separate from ballet and other styles
• Served as a training ground for influential dancers and choreographers (Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey)
• Dance theories and techniques continue to be taught and practiced worldwide
• Emphasis on the expressive potential of the human body and exploration of socially relevant themes set the stage for future generations of modern dance artists