On Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 7PM, the José Limón Dance Foundation will host a Memorial for Carla Maxwell at the Joyce Theater in celebration of her life and legacy. Admission is free, and tickets are available at https://secure.givelively.org/event/jose-limon-dance-foundation/in-memory-of-carla-maxwell/memorial-for-carla-maxwell-at-the-joyce-theater.

Carla Maxwell (1946—2025) held the torch for the Limón Dance Company for nearly 40 years, serving as Artistic Director from 1978-2015. Maxwell joined the Limón Dance Company in 1965, and soon became a principal dancer under Jose’s direction. Carla originated roles in Dances for Isadora, Carlota, and performing a notably iconic ‘Emilia’ in The Moor’s Pavane. In 1975, she was appointed Associate Artistic Director under Ruth Currier before stepping into the role of Artistic Director in December of 1978. Her many accolades and achievements include a Dance Magazine Award (1988) and receiving the National Medal of Arts on behalf of the Foundation (2008).

The memorial will feature recently rediscovered performance footage from her days at Juilliard as well some of her most iconic roles. The evening will be narrated by speakers from Carla’s life including:

Artistic Director, Limón Dance Company, Dante Puleio
Associate Artistic Director, Limón Dance Company, Logan Frances Kruger
Immediate family, Omar and Vanessa Guerrero
Lifelong partners from the Limón family:
Dr. Daniel Lewis
Clay Taliaferro, by video
Gary Masters
Roxane D’Orleans Juste
Nina Watt
Former Limón Foundation Board President, Robert A. Meister
And Jacob’s Pillow Historian and Founding Director of Preservation, Norton Owen

These speakers represent generations of the Limón family and the evening will thread together their words with archival video and live performance excerpts from some of Carla’s favorite Limón works as well as her own choreography. Live performance will include the Limón Dance Company performing excerpts of Limón’s There is a Time and Missa Brevis, Carla Maxwell’s Sonata and Etude, and Murray Louis’ Figura.