José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limón

by Susanna Reich, Raúl Colón (Illustrator)

José was a boy with a song in his heart and a dance in his step. Born in Mexico in 1908, he came into the world kicking like a steer, and grew up to love to draw, play the piano, and dream. José's dreaming took him to faraway places. He dreamed of bullfighters and the sounds of the cancan dancers that he saw with his father. Dance lit a fire in José's soul. With his heart to guide him, José left his family and went to New York to dance. He learned to flow and float and fly through space with steps like a Mexican breeze. When José danced, his spirit soared. From New York to lands afar, José Limón became known as the man who gave the world his own kind of dance.

¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ!

Susanna Reich's lyrical text and Raúl Colón's shimmering artwork tell the story of a boy who was determined to make a difference in the world, and did. José! Born to Dance will inspire picture book readers to follow their hearts and live their dreams.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Childrens, Cultural, Nonfiction, Art, History

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limón is a children's picture book written by Susanna Reich and illustrated by Raúl Colón. The mystery of the creative process comes through in this biography of dancer José Limón, born in Mexico in 1908.

José Arcadio Limón was a dancer and choreographer who developed what is now known as 'Limón technique'. In the 1940s he founded the José Limón Dance Company and in 1968 he created the José Limón Foundation to carry on his work.

Reich's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Reich's poetic language evokes the sensual experiences of childhood that inspired the boy's artistic yearnings. The onomatopoeic phrases that run throughout the book help to demonstrate the richness of Jose's experiences and how he brings them to bear on his style of dance. Backmatter includes an extended biographical note and a select list of resources in several media. Colón's artwork, in earthy tones, captures a mood of sober intensity. His signature style with its visible scratch marks and swirling brushstrokes provide a grainy, textured quality that deftly combines a sense of movement and stillness.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Civil war had causes Jose's family to flee Mexico to the United States. Always the artistic boy and a quick learner, Jose moves from drawing and painting to dancing and debuting onstage just six weeks after his first dance class.

All in all, José! Born to Dance: The Story of José Limón is an inspiring tribute to a major figure in the arts.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The life story of José Limón, the Mexican-American dancer and choreographer who became a pioneer in the field of modern dance, is told in this engaging picture-book biography from author Susanna Reich and illustrator Raúl Colón. Opening with Limón's birth in 1908, the book explores his early childhood in Culiacán, Mexico; his family's move to California to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution, and their life once there; and his own move to New York City as a young man, determined to become an artist and share his vision with the world. Eventually becoming discouraged, both by the cold foreignness of New York, and by his own lack of inspiration as a visual artist, Limón was electrified by his first exposure to modern dance, deciding to devote himself to this new art-form. Becoming a dedicated student of Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, he eventually went on to become a world famous performer and choreographer, leaving an indelible mark on the world of dance.

With a simple text that will carry young readers along with José Limón on his extraordinary journey - from small town Mexico to big city New York; from an artistic young man who dreams of becoming a painter, to a dancer absolutely dedicated to his craft - and evocative watercolor and colored pencil illustrations that perfectly capture the sense of movement in the story, José! Born to Dance offers an excellent introduction to its subject's life. It highlights a number of important themes, from following one's dreams, to being open to new ideas and inspirations, and is as much an immigrant story as it is an artistic one. An informative afterword gives more details about Limón and his ground-breaking career. Recommended to young dancers and would-be dancers, as well those looking for good picture-book biographies, and children's stories addressing immigration.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice biography with excellent illustrations, though perhaps not quite as moving as I'd hoped it would be. Much of the story takes place before Jose discovers his love of dance and I was impressed he rose to such heights when he began dance so late in life (around 20 years old!) The Author's Note in the back provides a bit more information but I think the text itself covers the main points well. This would be a good story about immigrants as well as dancers. It also shows that sometimes we don't have to know exactly what we want to be when we are young, we can still find success if we discover our dreams later on.

[Agnė · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am glad to be introduced to José Limón, a dancer and choreographer who in 2000 was named one of "America's Irreplaceable Dance Treasures" by the Dance Heritage Coalition.

However, the text of this picturebook is not the most engaging and the illustrations, although beautiful on their own, don't add much to the story and are kinda dull. This is one of the better ones:

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book may not be your cup of tea, it wasn't mine. If you like dance, I recommend this book.

[Lauren Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid-friendly biography has exquisite yet simple illustrations that tell the story of the famous dancer and choreographer, Jose Limon. He was born and raised in Mexico, moving to California and later, after the death of his mother, moving to New York where he discovered and pursued his love for dancing. This story explains why his family left Mexico (the outbreak of civil war) and the difficult process of moving to the United States (spending 2 years in Nogales near the border waiting for his father’s work permit). The children in his school in the US made fun of his English proficiency, which is a topic, I think, that is very real yet overlooked for many Mexican American children. Although he was exposed to music and the arts at a young age while accompanying his father at work at a theater, he truly was encapsulated by dance after attending a dance concert in New York with his friend. I love toward the end of the story when the feeling he felt while dancing was described as his “muscles sing[ing]”. I thought this story may also be a cool way to introduce literary elements and terms to students. This was over a wonderful and inspiring story!

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful picture book based on the life of Jose Limon, a famous dancer and choreographer. He and his family originally lived in Mexico and Jose always had an artistic talent for music, drawing, etc. However, when the Mexican Revolution broke out his father moves his family to safety in America and Jose struggles to learn English, read, and find his calling.

[ConnieLettow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of José Limón, a Mexican born modern dancer and choreographer. José was born in Culiacan, Mexico, in 1908, moving to California and later, after the death of his mother, moving to New York where he discovered and pursued his love for dancing. When he was young, his parents took him to the theater where his father worked as a musician. José loved to go and see flamenco, cancan, and ballet dancers perform at the theater. His father also took him to the corrida de toros. Jose was entranced by the movements of the dancers and bullfighters. This early exposure to the artform stuck with José. When the Mexican Revolution broke out when Jose was 5 years old, his family narrowly escaped death by hiding in the cellar for three days. After months of war, his parents fled by taking a train to Nogalas where he heard the sweet sounds of the accordian being played. Jose later spent hour and hours drawing trains. The family with Jose and his many younger brothers and sisters, applied for asylum with the United States. They spent 2 years in Nogales near the border waiting for his father’s work permit. Once in California, the children in Jose's school made fun of his English proficiency, he was determined to learn English and within 3 years he could speak and read with confidence. He began translating for his mother wherever they went.He finished out high school in Los Angeles, when his mother became sick and died. After a year, Jose decides to leave California to pursue his dreams of painting in New York. He took a job as a janitor and filled his sketchbooks with art. He spent hours going to great museums and studying the artwork, but In the end, Jose did not feel as if he could live up to other famous artwork. Jose decided redefine his life. One day he attended a dance concert in New York with his friend. He was hooked. A few days later, he enrolled in a dance studio and took classes from Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman nearly every day. He pushed his body to it's limits and 6 weeks later he mate his debut. "That night I tasted undreamed-of- esaltation, humility, and triumph," he said. Dance lit a fire in José's soul. He dreamed of bullfighters and the sounds of the cancan dancers that he saw with his father. It is interesting to note he rose to such artistic heights when he only truely began dance around 20 years old. He studied for 11 years with Doris and Charles. He learned to flow and float and fly through space with steps like a Mexican breeze. When José danced, his spirit soared. In time Jose became a world- famous choreographer and towur the globe with his own dance company. In 2000 José Limón was named one of "America's Irreplaceable Dance Treasures" by the Dance Heritage Coalition.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is in our Journeys reading textbook. I read this story with my class. It is a biography about Jose Limon. My students liked the story and were able to do all of the activities that I assigned. We looked for figurative language (similes and metaphors), sequence (time order words), and shades of meaning (synonyms). We even found some videos on youtube of Jose Limon dancing. This is one of my favorite books in our textbook.

[Bibimbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustration style almost dissuaded me from picking up this book, but it deserved a second look. The author paces her chosen biographical vignettes well and keeps the story engaging through well-chosen figurative language and imagery. This book's structure makes it a perfect mentor text for biographical narrative study in intermediate grades.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is making the connections between his early memories and his dance, and spends a lot of time on his drawing. It's not bad, but I think it undersells the title. There may not be enough known about his early life to trace a path of destiny toward dance, which struck him later than many dancers.

[Diana Valdivia-Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the life of Jose Limon and his interest into dancing.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Repeats sounds throughout the books and how those memories of sounds turned into what Jose would dance on stage.

Focuses on his artistic family and his art ability and then his teachers in NYC.

[Amy]

Lovely picture book biography.

[Nahuatl P Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Súper lindo libro sobre el bailarín, coreógrafo y maestro José Limón, un mexicano que revolucionó la danza con su método.
Muy recomendable.

[Jennifer Walizer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:
Jose! Born to Dance is a story about Jose Limon. It begins with him as a young child and goes on about his life through adulthood. Jose was born in Culiacan, Mexico in 1908 and loved the arts. During his younger years, he was surrounded by the arts because of his parents who would take him to the theatre. It continues on to discuss the civil war that breaks out in Mexico, this then leads Jose and his family to come to the United States. Jose fights to feel like he belongs in California as he struggles to learn the English language, but 3 years pass and he knows it “with confidence”. He began translating for his mother wherever they went. The story continues on to when Jose decides to leave California to pursue his dreams of painting in New York. In the end, Jose did not feel as if he could live up to other famous artwork which then made Jose want to refigure out his life. One day he goes to a dance class and falls in love with the art. He continues on this path and becomes a world famous choreographer who toured the globe.

Literary Merit:
The illustrations in this text are very unique and show the emotion in the text very well. Jose! Born to Dance is a great multicultural book that includes many difference aspects. It includes discussion of war, use multiple languages, being new to a school, having to learn a new language, achieving your goals, etc. This story received the Notable Books for a Global Society notation and I completely see why it would, because it is just wonderfully written and illustrated. I think is a must have!

Reader Response/Classroom Connection:
While reading Jose! Born to Dance, I noticed myself getting more and more into the story. I kept having little thoughts about the plot and the ideas that are included within just one story. It includes two languages, which really points out the multiculturalism in this story. You could use this text then to help support the diversity in the classroom. You can also use this text to discuss the different arts or focus on the war that is brought up in the story. You can use this for a discussion about never giving up and accept who you are as an individual.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about Jose, a boy born and raised in Culiacan, Mexico. The story goes on to explain significant events that happen to Jose, to bring him where the story ends. Jose would often visit the theater where his father worked as a musician. This is the first time in the story where you see Jose’s love for music and dance. When Jose was five years old, the civil war had broken out in Mexico, forcing Jose and his family to hide in their cellar for 3 full days. Jose’s family waited patiently for two years and then they left Mexico to move to the United States. Jose started his new school, and everyone made fun of the way he spoke English. This part of the story is where you see Jose become really passionate about something; he says, “I will learn this language better than any of you” (Reich, 12). Within the next few years, Jose could speak English so well that he was interpreting for his family. He became very interested in drawing and coloring, and was most famous for his drawings of trains. When Jose finished high school, his mother became very sick and passed away. Although Jose felt guilty about leaving his father behind, he knew that he wanted to travel to New York and start his life. Jose would fill his sketchbook with drawings, day after day, but something always felt missing inside him. One afternoon, Jose accepted an invitation from his friend to accompany him at a dance concert. Jose ended up falling in love with dance, and was so determined to become a great dancer. Jose ended up taking dance classes every night after that concert. He studied dance for 11 years under the same teachers, and now Jose is a world famous choreographer. Jose always knew in his heart that there was something missing, and once he figured out what that something was, he went after the goal and achieved it with great success.

[James Govednik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: [close:]
José was a boy with a song in his heart and a dance in his step. Born in Mexico in 1908, he came into the world kicking like a steer, and grew up to love to draw, play the piano, and dream. José's dreaming took him to faraway places. He dreamed of bullfighters and the sounds of the cancan dancers that he saw with his father. Dance lit a fire in José's soul.

With his heart to guide him, José left his family and went to New York to dance. He learned to flow and float and fly through space with steps like a Mexican breeze. When José danced, his spirit soared. From New York to lands afar, José Limón became known as the man who gave the world his own kind of dance.

¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ! ¡OLÉ!

Susanna Reich's lyrical text and Raúl Colón's shimmering artwork tell the story of a boy who was determined to make a difference in the world, and did. José! Born to Dance will inspire picture book readers to follow their hearts and live their dreams.
(from goodreads)
Response: What a great story! I had no idea who Jose Limon was. His story is presented here in a book that would appeal to readers from ages 8 to 12 or even beyond. Alhtough he became one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century, he didn't even begin studying dance until he was an adult. The beginning of the story of his life in Mexico as a child offers a different perspective of Mexico than most children will have encountered, and his struggles in American schools, trying to learn English, will have many of our students nodding in agreement, I'm sure. His journey to New York to make his way as a visual artist seems to be leading us to a story of hardship and disappointment, until he attends a dance concert with a friend.

[Tony Ruiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jose: Born to Dance – Susanna Reich
Grade: 3-5
Pages: 32
Theme: Mexico, Dance, Dreams, Work Ethic
Awards: International Latino Book Award Winner
Genre: Non-Fiction Information
Response: I hadn’t known who Jose Limon was, and I’m sure there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of kids and adults who don’t know as well. But after reading this story, you gain more knowledge, and respect, for him as he traveled from Mexico to the United States and pursued a dream. Whether it was artistic, or dancing, he followed what he wanted and became a well known dancer ahead of his prime.
Class Activity: During the month of May, Cinco de Mayo (5th of May, which is Mexico’s Independence Day) is celebrated by Mexicans and Latin-Americans alike in Mexico and the bordering states (most Americans like to celebrate too for some reason). While doing a unit on Mexico and how they’ve gained their independence, students will write out & predict what would have happened if the French won, and Mexico didn’t gain their independence.

[Ashley Boris · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon" is a children's picture book about a dancer who was born in Mexico and as a child moved to America with his family. He was intrigued by dancing as a child, since his father was a musician that worked in the same area as dancers, but as Jose grew up he pursued art instead. His mother died right around his high school graduation so Jose stayed near his family to be supportive, even though his dream was to move to New York. One day he decided to leave and pursue his dreams, but after arriving in New York found no inspiration for art or painting so became discouraged. His friend took him to a dance performance and it reminded Jose of his childhood and peaked his passion of dancing once more. He took dance lessons and eventually become a famous choreographer with his own dance company. This story gives children a nice message about following dreams, realizing passion, and staying hopeful, but it is supposed to be a notable multicultural story and I didn't really see many multicultural elements present.

[Alex Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a boy named Jose who lives his life with one dream in mind, to dance. Jose grows up having to work in areas such as the factory to help support himself and his family. Jose has a dream of being a dancer one day and sharing his beautiful piece of art with the rest of the world. One day Jose gets to fulfill those dreams of his when he goes into a dance studio for the first time and begins to dance and eventually gets to perform for people.

I really like that this book shows readers that if you have a goal, with hard work and determination you can reach this goal one day. Jose’s fight to not give up on being a dancer one day is inspiring for all readers and something o really look up to

I also really like the illustration in this book and how it has a grainy kind of look to it. It is no doubt that this book deserved a Notable Books for a Global Society award.

Reich, S., & N, R. (2005). José!: Born to dance : The story of José Limón. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

[Ruhama · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of one of the greatest dancers in America during the 20th century: José Limón. His family moved to the United States from Mexico while he was still a child, and José was determined to be the best at whatever he did. His passion was for the arts, mainly painting and music, and it wasn’t until after his mother’s death and a move to New York that he discovered dancing. There he used his determination that had sparked him to succeed as a child to succeed in adulthood, and become a dancer and choreographer.

This picture book biography is a neat glimpse into a famous Hispanic that most people outside of the dance world know. The storyline is simple, yet complete, and there is an author’s note at the back. Raúl Colón did the illustrations, and they are simple yet effective, with rich colors when necessary and muted tones when the storyline is somber. An inspiring story for anyone striving towards a goal.

[Q_Jill Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jose (1908-1972) was a great dancer and choreographer. Jose grew up during the civil war in Mexico. His family was surrounded by fighting and forced to hide in a cellar. They tried to escape war by coming to the United States. They lived in Nogales, a city on the Mexico/ U.S. border and waited for permission to enter the United States. Once in the United State, Jose learned to speak English, played piano, and drew. Jose dreamed of going to New York. He became discouraged and found it difficult to find work as an artist. One day a friend invited him to a dance concert. He knew this was what he wanted to do. In time he became world famous dancing from New York to London, to Mexico City. He became a teacher at Julliard School and then inspired a new generation of new dancers.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh.

Not my favorite book ever. I found the writing style poor. There was actually a sentence that I quibbled with the grammar.

Jose grew up in Mexico. When the civil war broke out, the family headed for Califormia after a two-year layover in Nogales. Life in California was not wonderful for Jose. When he matured he headed off to the Big Apple to pursue his dream of being an artist while working as a custodian.

Jose would visit the great museums and take in the art of Manet, Picasso, and Renoir. Alas, he realized that he wasn't going to cut it as a painter. He expressed that New York was a cemetery.

A friend of his invited him to the theatre. There, Jose realized his gift was to dance. He worked hard to become a dancer and triumphed for he did so for the next 40 years.

The illustrations were okay.

This isn't my kind of story.

[David Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story of Jose Limon a famous dancer and choreographer. As a dancer and choreographer I really enjoyed the book a how it highlighted his life. The story takes you through his struggle as a child all the way to the hardships he faced as an adult until he discovered his true passion Great picture book for grades 3-5. The books portrays a powerful message of discovering your dreams, dedication, determination and success. This Biography of Joe Limon not only shows struggles and success but also opens the eyes of male students, Jose limon is a famous male dancer who is able to be seen as a role model for those who are afraid to follow their dreams.The illustrations are beautiful and makes the story more expressive * * * * *

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

José! Born to Dance is a wonderful biographical book about José Limón, a world famous dancer and choreographer who changed the stage of modern dance. It is simplistic in it's telling of the story, but understandable for primary aged children. At the back of the book, there are Historical Notes that go into a bit more detail of José's work and also bilbiographical information. Listed in the bib information is the website www.limon.org, which takes you to the Limón Dance company's website. There you can see a couple short clips of dancers practicing and performing Limón's creations, as well as an interview with one of his colleagues who talks about José Limón.

[Princolitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro nos narra de forma corta la vida de José Limón, nacido en Culiacán, México, quien amaba el arte y la música pero debido a la revolución de México su familia tuvo que mudarse a Estados Unidos. Se burlaban en la escuela de él por no saber inglés pero eso no lo detendría, después su madre moriría y se mudaría a Nueva York, donde las cosas no serían fáciles pero con el tiempo descubriría su amor y pasión por la danza, convirtiéndose así en uno de los mejores bailarines del mundo.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Raul Colon's illustrations and how much movement there is in them.

There's a lot of focus in the middle of the book on Jose and his family as immigrants/refugees during the Mexican Revolution.

Jose turning to dance is foreshadowed from the beginning, but really the book portrays his love of *art* -- visual art, music, and dance. It's very light on description of the style of dance he was trained in and developed.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations accompany a simple text in this biography of Jose Limon, a Mexican American dancer and choreographer. This is a great story to share with elementary school children and shows immigrant struggle and success in our country and showcases a real male dancer. It's a great role model book.

[Kathy Ogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderful book. It is a biography of the dancer Jose Limon and how he found his passion in the world of dance is inspirational. He did not have an easy path growing up and changed his focus in life several times before realizing his true passion for dance. I recommend this book for any boy who wants to dance.