The José Limón National Contemporary Dance Award () is a Mexican

modern Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...

and

contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...

dance award established in 1988 and named in honor of the dancer and choreographer

José Limón José Arcadio Limón (January 12, 1908 – December 2, 1972) was a dancer and choreographer from Mexico and who developed what is now known as 'Limón technique'. In the 1940s, he founded the José Limón Dance Company (now the Limón Dan ...

. It is granted by the

National Council for Culture and the Arts The Secretariat of Culture () — formerly known as the National Council for Culture and Arts ( or CONACULTA) before being elevated to ministerial level in 2015 — is a Mexican government agency in charge of the nation's museums and monuments, ...

(CONACULTA) and the . Due to its age and significance, it is considered the country's most important dance award.

History and description

The José Limón National Dance Award was established in 1988 to recognize the most outstanding figures of

and

Mexican or foreign dance. It was named in honor of

, a dancer and choreographer born in

Culiacán Culiacán, officially Culiacán Rosales, is a city in northwestern Mexico, the capital and largest city of both Culiacán Municipality and the state of Sinaloa. The city was founded on 29 September 1531 by the Spanish conquistadors Lázaro de ...

, Sinaloa, considered a groundbreaking innovator in the history of contemporary dance, and one who elevated the male figure in the field. At its 30th edition, held in 2010, the award's name was changed to the José Limón National Contemporary Dance Award. It is granted by

CONACULTA The Secretariat of Culture () — formerly known as the National Council for Culture and Arts ( or CONACULTA) before being elevated to ministerial level in 2015 — is a Mexican government agency in charge of the nation's museums and monuments ...

and the , through the National Dance Coordination of the

National Institute of Fine Arts The Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL, ), located in the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, is the Mexican institution in charge of coordinating artistic and cultural activities (both at the political and the educati ...

and the Sinaloense Institute of Culture. The distinction, considered the country's most important in the medium, is awarded each year during the José Limón International Contemporary Dance Festival, to people or institutions whose work in modern and contemporary dance constitutes a significant contribution to this art in Mexico. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Limón's birth, six awards were presented in 2008. In addition, a person who was not a dancer or choreographer was recognized for the first time – academic received an award as one of the most outstanding dance researchers and historians in Mexico.

Recipients

References

{{Authority control 1988 establishments in Mexico Awards established in 1988 Contemporary dance Dance awards Dance in Mexico Arts awards in Mexico Modern dance Culture of Sinaloa