Mexican-American José Limón is universally recognized as one of the most important Modern dancers of the 20th century. Like Jose Greco, Limon wanted to be a painter, although, he quit painting to become a dancer as his love for it never died. His family moved to the U.S. when he was just 7 (first to Arizona, then California,) where he attended Catholic school and continued his drawing and painting.

    Later Limon went to New York in 1928 and joined the Humphrey-Weidman Studio, performing with them untill 1940. Limon went into the U.S. Army in 1943 and after his dis-charge in 1945, he formed his own dance company with Doris Humphrey as the artistic director for many years (1946-1958.) His first major work was 'The Moor's Pavane' (a distillation of the OTELLO story) which is still taught in Universities around the world as well as others titled La Malinche, The Traitor (Limon's response to the McCarthy Hearings), Carmen Jones (based upon Eugene O'Neill's play), A Choreographic Offering, There is a Time, Missa Brevis.

    After his death at age 64, he left behind a legacy of work that survives through the dance company that bears his name.