Lester Horton facts for kids

Lester Iradell Horton (born January 23, 1906 – died November 2, 1953) was an American dancer, choreographer (someone who creates dances), and teacher. He made a big impact on modern dance.

Early Life and Learning

Lester Iradell Horton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on January 23, 1906.

He became interested in dance after seeing tribal dances at a Wild West show. He was fascinated by American Indian culture. He studied different tribes like the Iroquois and Ojibwa.

Lester also studied ballet for two years with a teacher named Theo Hewes. He took art classes at the Herron Art Institute. He also worked with the Indianapolis Little Theater. A performance by the famous Denishawn company greatly inspired him.

Dance Career

Horton moved to California in 1929. He performed in a dance show called The Song of Hiawatha. This show was based on a famous poem.

He also worked with a sculptor named Kathleen Stubergh. They made wax figures, and Horton painted faces on mannequins. He chose to work in California instead of New York City. At that time, New York was seen as the main place for modern dance.

In 1931, Horton created his first solo dance, Kootenai War Dance. He was invited to perform this dance at the Los Angeles Olympics. His success led to an invitation to perform at the Paramount Theatre. He shared the stage with Judy Garland and her sisters.

In 1932, Lester Horton started his own dance group. It was first called the Lester Horton Dancers. Later, it became the Horton Dance Group. This group performed in films and lasted until 1944.

After a short break, Horton formed the Dance Theater of Los Angeles in 1946. He worked with his lead dancer, Bella Lewitzky. He bought a building in West Hollywood. This place was used for rehearsals, performances, and teaching. It was the first space in Los Angeles just for modern dance.

To pay for his school and dance companies, Horton choreographed many Hollywood musicals. He worked on films like Moonlight in Havana (1942) and White Savage (1943). One of his most notable film works was Phantom of the Opera (1943). Horton's dancers also performed in clubs, including the Folies Bergère in New York.

Horton's most famous dances were called "choreodramas." These included Salome and The Beloved. He worked on Salome for almost 20 years.

His Dance Theater company performed in New York City only once. This was in the last year of Horton's life. The performances did not have much publicity. Only a few hundred people came to watch. Even so, most reviews were good. One magazine praised the "superb dancers."

The company later traveled to the Jacob's Pillow festival. This show was a big success. After this, the group was asked to open for singer Johnny Desmond. They were so popular that they were invited back for more shows.

Horton Dance Technique

Horton created his own unique way of dancing. It combined many different styles. He used movements from Native American Folk Dance. He also used Japanese arm gestures. He included Javanese and Balinese isolations for the upper body. This meant moving parts like the eyes, head, and hands separately. Horton also added Afro-Caribbean elements, such as hip circles.

His dance technique is now known as Horton Technique. It focuses on using the whole body. It helps dancers become flexible and strong. It also improves coordination and body awareness. This technique allows dancers to express themselves freely and dramatically.

Horton once wrote: "I am sincerely trying now to create a dance technique based entirely upon corrective exercises, created with a knowledge of human anatomy; a technique which will correct physical faults and prepare a dancer for any type of dancing he may wish to follow; a technique having all the basic movements which govern the actions of the body; combined with a knowledge of the origin of movement and a sense of artistic design."

Death and Legacy

Lester Horton died from a heart attack on November 2, 1953.

After Horton's death, Alvin Ailey briefly led the company. Ailey later moved to New York City. In 1969, the Horton Technique became a standard way of training dancers. This happened at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.

Since Horton's death, his dance technique and choreography have become very well known. The www.lhdt.org Lester Horton Dance Theater Foundation, Inc. helps keep his work alive. Dance companies like the Joyce Trisler Danscompany and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre still use his technique.

Famous Students

Many talented dancers and artists learned from Lester Horton. James Truitte became an expert in Horton's technique. He taught it at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music.

Other well-known people who studied with Horton include:

Janet Collins was a ballet student who learned modern dance from Horton. She later became the first African American dancer to perform full-time with the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

Films Choreographed by Horton

Horton choreographed the dances for these films:

See also

In Spanish: Lester Horton para niños

• List of dancers