The Limón Dance Company (LDC) embarks on its largest choreographic commission to date in celebration of its 80th Anniversary season, a reimagining of José Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane by Akram Khan. Developed over a series of ten weeks in fall of 2026 and January 2027, Khan will reenvision a one-act version of Limón’s choreographic masterpiece. Northrop at the University of Minnesota is the lead commissioner on the project with additional co-commissioning and development provided by Works & Process (in partnership with The Campus at Marlboro Music and Guggenheim New York). Early tour venues include: onStage at Connecticut College, Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University, and Vivo Performing Arts (formerly Celebrity Series of Boston). We are currently seeking additional commissioning partners to help support the development and presentation of this work. Worldwide representation by SOZO IMPACT.

“This incredible, timeless piece was a work I had come across and studied as a young performing arts student. And although that was so many decades ago, it has remained with me and still schools me today. Most simply put, I realized even then that the work was about the human condition, in all its flaws and weaknesses. And though this work is short in length, I have always felt it to be an epic sweeping gesture of comment on our sense of who we are not, rather than who we are. And so, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be inspired again and now to reimagine this work, through my current artistic lens…. As not to take away from Limon’s original version, but instead, to pay homage to a work that has inspired so many artists over many generations. Bringing together the voices of my creative collaborators, Zeynep Kepekli (lighting designer), Aditya Prakash (composer), and the incredible artists of the Limón Dance Company, I am looking to create an emotionally physical experience that echoes the past yet expresses the present,” said Akram Khan.

The story of Giraldi Cinthio’s 1565 “Un Capitano Moro,” adapted by Shakespeare as Othello is a chilling tale of race, power and jealousy. José Limón further distilled this story to four characters and the infamous handkerchief in his classic The Moor’s Pavane. Limón’s work, first performed in 1949 at the American Dance Festival, is one of his crowning achievements, and the work continues to be performed by the Limón Dance Company and the most well-known ballet companies around the world. Reexamining the themes of this work in a contemporary context reveals a connection to over 500 years of storytelling.

“Because the story of Akram Khan and the story of José Limón parallel and intersect in too many ways to ignore – Akram and I have been dreaming about how and when to work together since I was named Artistic Director. For me, this project brings together two of the greatest choreographers, bridging conversations across time, generations, and continents. Othello and subsequently The Moor’s Pavane illuminates the enduring struggles of overwhelming passion and crippling jealousy—forces that continue to shape us today and allow us to deeply dive into the human experience. I can’t think of another contemporary choreographer better suited to honor this lineage with the depth, rigor, and integrity it deserves during our 80th Anniversary.” – Dante Puleio

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Choreography & Direction by Akram Khan
Composer Aditya Prakash
Lighting Design by Zeynep Kepekli