The Limón Dance Company will mark its 80th anniversary with its largest choreographic commission to date: a reimagining of José Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane by acclaimed British choreographer Akram Khan. The work will be developed over ten weeks in fall 2026 and January 2027, with early performances scheduled at Northrop at the University of Minnesota, Connecticut College, Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts, and Vivo Performing Arts in Boston.
Khan’s adaptation revisits Limón’s 1949 classic, which distills the story of Shakespeare’s Othello into a four-character one-act dance, exploring themes of race, power, and jealousy. “This incredible, timeless piece…has remained with me and still schools me today,” Khan said. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be inspired again and now to reimagine this work through my current artistic lens…bringing together the voices of my creative collaborators and the incredible artists of the Limón Dance Company.”
Dante Puleio, LDC’s artistic director, praised the collaboration as a meeting of choreographic generations. “Because the story of Akram Khan and the story of José Limón parallel and intersect in too many ways to ignore…this project brings together two of the greatest choreographers, bridging conversations across time, generations, and continents,” Puleio said.
Khan’s adaptation will feature new music by Aditya Prakash and lighting design by Zeynep Kepekli. The project is led by Northrop with additional development and commissioning support from Works & Process, The Campus at Marlboro Music, and Guggenheim New York. Additional commissioning partners are being sought to support the work’s creation and presentation.
Founded in 1946 by José Limón and Doris Humphrey, the Limón Dance Company has been a cornerstone of American modern dance, performing Limón’s works alongside contemporary commissions. The company celebrates not only its 80th anniversary in 2026 but also five years under Puleio’s leadership, a period that has included six world premieres, ten reconstructions of iconic works, and its first Bessie Award in two decades.
Khan, whose career spans 25 years and includes landmark works such as Giselle for English National Ballet and contributions to the London 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, brings a contemporary lens to Limón’s legacy while maintaining the integrity of the original work.
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