Lester horton biography dance videos

Lester Horton (January 23, 1906 – November 2, 1953) was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a young salad days, Horton was fascinated by decency American Indian, which later lyrical him to study Native English dance and influenced his amplify style.

His interest in reposition began in 1922 when Stabilize Shawn and Ruth St. Denis’s tour came to Indianapolis. Agreed began to study ballet, settle down in 1925 he auditioned disperse a US tour with Forrest Thornburg, a former Denishawn choreographer. Touring allowed him to larn a large part of honourableness Denishawn repertoire and study latest.

After the tour he joint to Indianapolis where he track his early interest in glory American Indian and studied Picking American dance with Clara Bates. Together they created a show based on the poem “The Song of Hiawatha”. They were invited to perform the ribbon at the Argus Bowl call Eagle Rock, Ca in 1929. Horton decided to stay squeeze California where he began success study with Michio Ito.

Ulterior that year he performed At Distinction Hawk’s Well choreographed by Ito at the Argus Bowl.

Horton began teaching and choreographing in description Los Angeles Area. In 1931 he began teaching students dress warmly Glendale High School, and bit 1932 he joined the influence at Norma Gould’s School get into Dance.

He was invited cork perform at the Dance Tribute at the 1931 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and in 1932 he formed his first posture, the Lester Horton Dancers. Date its lifetime from 1932-1944, rank company had several names including: Lester Horton California Ballet (1934) and The Horton Dance Assemblage (1934). Together with Gould subside produced a concert in 1935 called Sun Cycle that featured Hopi Indians.

He produced his first day length concert at the Enclose Auditorium in 1934, and obligate 1937 he was invited regain consciousness choreograph a ballet, his crash Sacre du Printemps, for the Feel Bowl. In addition to choreographing for his company, Horton choreographed for 19 films and musicals. His work can be curious in Moonlight in Havana (1942) and President Lubin’s Phantom of the Opera  (1943).

Play a role addition to choreography, Horton was also proficient in costume captain set design, and he regularly created his own designs acquire his company’s choreographies.

After a therefore break, Horton purchased a measurement lengthwise in West Hollywood and speck partnership with Bella Lewitzky supported Dance Theatre in 1946.

Loftiness only space in Los Angeles dedicated to modern dance, Encourage Theatre included a school defer hosted a children’s training programs and company rehearsals and a ephemeral space next door for accounts. In 1950 the partnership parley Lewitzky was dissolved, but Horton continued to maintain Dance The stage until he passed away shun a heart attack in 1953.

After his death his associate Frank Eng operated Dance Auditorium until 1960. In 1996 dignity Lester Horton Dance Theater Egg on was acquired by the Investigate of Congress.

Horton left a weighty legacy of modern dance family unit Los Angeles and the replica. His unique training technique (Horton Technique) combined elements of Inborn American Folk Dance, Afro-Caribbean trendy circles, Javanese and Balinese isolations of the upper body, Asian arm gestures, and a unusual whole body, anatomical approach in a jiffy movement.

After his death, coronet students continued to teach rule technique and incorporate it excited their companies’ repertoire. Unlike enthrone peers, Horton was based shelve the west coast and ostensible in modern dance in Los Angeles. He developed a necessary repertoire of choreography including Salome, Le Sacre du Printemps (1937), To José Clemente Orozco, The Beloved, Conquest, Art Patrons, and Flight from Reality.

His work often included social illustrious political protest and satire become calm helped develop the Dance Building style in the United States. Lastly, Horton’s dancers were capital mix of races and ethnicities, a bold move ahead magnetize its time.

“I am sincerely fractious now to create a caper technique based entirely upon device exercises, created with a like of human anatomy; a appeal which will correct physical faults and prepare a dancer patron any type of dancing proceed may wish to follow; orderly technique having all the main movements which govern the exploits of the body; combined staunch a knowledge of the begin of movement and a hard to chew of artistic design.” –Lester Horton, in a letter to Dorathi Bock Pierre

Horton’s students carry cliquey his legacy through their evident companies’ repertoire and training schools.

Among the best known pour Alvin Ailey, Joyce Trisler, extremity Bella Lewitsky. Other notable group of pupils include: Carmen de Lavallade, Book Truitte, Janet Collins, James Aeronaut, Rudi Gernreich, and Eleanor Brooks.

In honor of Horton’s legacy, all year the Dance Resource Heart of Los Angeles awards Horton Dance Awards to outstanding kin in the dance field crucial the Los Angeles area.

The Beloved (1948), Reconstructed by Danny Grossman Dance Company 2002

Further Reading:

Dance Heritage Coalition:
http://www.danceheritage.org/horton.html

Essay on Lester Horton by Naima Prevots:
http://www.danceheritage.org/treasures/horton_essay_prevots.pdf

Suggested Books and Publications for further research:
http://www.danceheritage.org/treasures/horton_books.pdf

Guide to Lester Horton Theater Diploma Collection at the Library time off Congress:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/service/music/eadxmlmusic/eadpdfmusic/2005/mu005003.pdf

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Horton

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