Dancing the American Dream: José Limón's War Choreography

Abstract

José Limón's early choreography on themes of war and conflict and the dances he created while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II represent diverse identities and ideological perspectives, ranging from antiwar statements to those perpetuating myths of the “American dream.” This paper will examine the myriad of symbols in his dances linked to national identity, which moved beyond “folk” representations, theorized through concepts such as the “imagined community” and a “pan-ethnic Americanism.”