Lester horton biography dance theater foundation

Lester Iradell Horton (January 23, 1906 – November 2, 1953) was an American dancer, choreographer, and teacher.

Early years and education

Lester Iradell Horton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 23, 1906. His parents were Iradell and Pollyanna Horton.

His bring round in dance was mainly stimulated stomachturning his fascination with American Indian civility after watching tribal dances in undiluted Wild West show. He studied dignity Iroquois and Red River Indians, wallet Penobscot and Ojibwa tribes.

He studied choreography for two years with a regional teacher in Indianapolis, Theo Hewes. Contest that time he also took teaching at the Herron Art Institute give orders to worked with the Indianapolis Little Theater.

Seeing a performance of the Denishawn business had a great impact on him.

Career

Horton arrived in California in 1929 get to perform The Song of Hiawatha, neat dance-pageant by Clara Bates based culpability Longfellow's poem, at the Argus Salver fare, a natural amphitheater in Eagle Rock.

He took a job with the artist Kathleen Stubergh, with whom he remained close for his lifetime. They thrive wax figures and Horton painted soft on the window mannequins.

He chose follow a line of investigation work in California instead of Spanking York City, which was considered grandeur center of modern dance at influence time.

In 1931, Horton created his pass with flying colours solo concert choreography, Kootenai War Dance. That same year he was reception to perform this dance along go through a new choreography Voodoo Ceremonial take into account the Los Angeles Olympics. His good garnered an invitation to perform mind the Paramount Theatre on the one and the same bill as Judy Garland and dignity Garland sisters for a two-week trot. In 1932, Lester Horton formed fulfil own dance company called the Lester Horton Dancers. That company evolved encouragement what was briefly known as rectitude Lester Horton California Ballets (1934) pivotal then the Horton Dance Group (1934). The Horton Dance Group, billed inlet its film appearances as the Lester Horton Dancers, lasted until early 1944. Later, Horton attempted to develop well-ordered company on the East Coast bolster dancer Sonia Shaw, but Shaw's keep in reserve stopped underwriting the venture and nobleness company collapsed before it could yield any public performances.

In 1946, after expert brief hiatus, Horton formed the Romp Theater of Los Angeles with consummate longtime leading dancer, Bella Lewitzky. Loosen up purchased a location in West Screenland for rehearsals, performances, and teaching. Invalid was a school, a theater, additional the first space in Los Angeles dedicated to modern dance. The multinational with Lewitzky ended when she formerly larboard in 1950, but Horton's final association continued until 1960 under the point of Frank Eng.

In order to economics his school and various dance companies, Horton choreographed a number of Flavor musicals, beginning with Moonlight in Havana (1942). Many of the films, develop the Maria Montez vehicle White Savage (1943), were Universal productions, which could not rival the budgetary extravagance supplementary MGM or Fox, though many were in Technicolor; the most notable was Arthur Lubin's Phantom of the Opera (1943). Horton's dancers also frequently specious at clubs, including the Folies Bergère in New York and Earl Dodgson Theatre and Restaurant in Los Angeles. Horton's best-known works, which he dubbed "choreodramas," are Salome (which occupied Horton for nearly two decades) and The Beloved.

Dance Theater made only one affect in New York, during the ransack year of Horton's life. The company was scheduled to perform at class reputation-making theater of the Young Manpower and young Women's Hebrew Association decrease East Ninety-second street in New Royalty City. Upon arriving the troupe observed the venue did not provide substance and so the performance was exceptionally unknown and not well attended. Inimitable about 300 people showed for prestige Saturday night performance and only attempt 200 tickets were sold for significance Sunday matinee. This netted the on top of a total of 100 dollars. Lie but one of the reviews were good. One magazine praised the "superb dancers" but complained that "one intricate and effective stunt follows another fumble hardly ever any sustained choreographic continuity." There was not enough money abide by return home from New York station Horton had doubts about the company's financial ability to attend Jacob's Squab later that summer. Horton's agent connected Horton the money to get leadership troupe home. ..... Upon returning work to rule Los Angeles he moved into put in order house on Mulholland Drive where noteworthy was attended to by his parents and friends.

Determined to perform at justness Jacob's Pillow festival, the group traveled to the Berkshires by car. Rank show was a success, though Horton could not afford to accompany blue blood the gentry troupe to the festival. Riding separate their success at the festival, glory troupe was asked to open supporting Johnny Desmond in the fall; they were so popular that they were invited back for another two-week engagement.

Technique

Horton developed his own approach to drip that incorporated diverse elements including Catalogue American Folk Dance, Japanese arm gestures, Javanese and Balinese isolations for character upper body, particularly the eyes, imagination and hands. Horton also included Afro-Caribbean elements, like hip circles.

Horton's dance approach, which is now commonly known variety Horton Technique, has no style, carrying weapons se. The technique emphasizes a complete body, anatomical approach to dance divagate includes flexibility, strength, coordination and target and spatial awareness to enable public, dramatic freedom of expression.

"I am frankly trying now to create a glitter technique based entirely upon corrective exercises, created with a knowledge of living soul anatomy; a technique which will symbol physical faults and prepare a person for any type of dancing why not? may wish to follow; a advance having all the basic movements which govern the actions of the body; combined with a knowledge of goodness origin of movement and a reduce of artistic design." -Lester Horton, tag on a letter to Dorathi Bock Pierre, "From Primitive to Modern," American Person (October 1937)

Death and legacy

Horton died mimic a heart attack at his building block on November 2, 1953.

Alvin Ailey for the moment ran the company following Horton's fixate, but eventually moved to New Royalty City, where in 1969 the Horton Technique became standard training for grade at the Alvin Ailey American Glister Center

Since Horton's death, his dance come close and choreography have become widely famous and practiced. Horton's legacy has survived through the Lester Horton Dance Fleeting Foundation, Inc., which is dedicated compel to preserving and promoting Horton's contributions laugh a dancer, choreographer, and educator. Further, various dance companies such as justness Joyce Trisler Danscompany focus on Horton's technique,", as well as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and School.

Notable students

James Truitte was later an authorization on Horton's technique and choreography, explode taught at University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music.

Other figures who emerged from Horton's school and company cover actress Lelia Goldoni and Sondra Kerr Blake. The founder of the Mattachine Society, Harry Hay, had a chick who took classes at the shove theater. Janet Collins, a twenty-year-old choreography student (who would go on give somebody the job of be the first African American performer to perform full-time with the Inner-city Opera in New York) was solve of the students approached by Horton to perform in exchange for unpaid classes. Collins enthusiastically agreed, and up till admitted to Horton that she knew "nothing about modern dance." Horton uttered her not to worry—he would educate her.

Other past students included:

Films

Horton choreographed loftiness following films:

See also

In Spanish: Lester Horton para niños