Kanopy Dance opens its 50th season with a sublime celebration of the work and legacy of modern dance icon José Limón, “Without Borders.”

Limón, who was born in Mexico, studied with modern dance pioneers Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman and went on to form his own company and influence generations of dancers and choreographers.

Once again, I appreciate Kanopy’s commitment to bringing iconic modern dance works to Madison audiences, whether it is carefully and respectfully presenting legendary works like Suite from A Choreographic Offering or showcasing new work from choreographers with connections to Limón.

The brief, yet totally satisfying, program opens with Fansié Sinak Chipwany (We Are Still Here) from former Limón Dance Company soloist Daniel Fetecua-Soto. A native of Bogotá, Colombia, Fetecua-Soto choreographed and performs the solo which explores how the colonization of Colombia stifled and suppressed the language and culture of the Indigenous Muisca people.

Fetecua-Soto has a commanding stage presence. He prowls the stage and summons history and reverence with just the swirling of his hand above his head. His strong connection to the earth underscores the resilience of the Muisca. With Colombian art from Dario Bolivar projected behind him and music ranging from simple, plaintive flute to full throttle rock infused with Muisca language serves as proof that the Muisca would not be silenced. The solo closes with the projection of a starry sky echoing a mountain view from his homeland.

Flying in the Face of Time, a 2025 work from former Limón Dance Company artistic director Colin Connor, examines the plasticity of time and is set to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, Op. 133. At times meditative and then suddenly rollicking, the piece begins with Edward Salas and Charlotte Gularson stepping into a square of light, wearing long coats over burgundy costumes. Salas is a miracle of taut physicality, his expressive arms expanding and swooping. The everyday mechanics of removing an article of clothing or offering help as another undresses/dresses are suddenly imbued with intensity and gravity.

Salas and Gularson quickly join the rest of the cast who are lined up in a row. Each dancer moves forward, performing a brief solo while their fellow dancers pad slowly toward the audience, creating a suspension of time. Connor has a keen ear and clearly revels in the complexities and exuberance of Beethoven’s score, but the dancing never seemed rushed or chaotic. In fact Connor creates quiet moments of reverie. Several times a female dancer is lifted above the cast and then is placed back on the ground in a sequence of lifts that seem to make time stand still.

The cast of eight all acquit themselves well and rise to the challenge of Connor’s demanding choreography, which is full of stretching dynamics, tension, interesting and audacious lifts, rigorous movement, and high-flying cabrioles.

Closing the program was a suite from Limón’s A Choreographic Offering, which premiered in 1964 but still feels fresh and timeless. The large cast is clad in mellow autumnal colors. The piece was exactly what was needed to soothe my soul. I have probably complained before about there being too much emphasis on virtuosic “tricks” in dance like ridiculously high extensions, multiple pirouettes, so audiences may be dazzled into thinking that is what makes dancers good or impressive. In A Choreographic Offering, we are reminded of the joy of moving through space to gorgeous music (J.S. Bach’s Musical Offering). That is not to say that the choreography is simplistic, but there is a purity and directness to it.

It is clear that the cast, which includes apprentices and young members of Kanopy’s second company, has a solid technical foundation and has been well coached by Fetecua-Soto, who reconstructed Limón’s work. The piece was a tribute to Limón’s mentor, Doris Humphrey. Limón captured the essence of Humphrey’s trailblazing genius in so many ways: the focus on breath, fall and recovery, and the interplay between a large group of dancers. Her iconic works like The Shakers (1931) and Water Study (1928) still have the power to amaze and startle today.

There are several dancers who are particularly outstanding.

Stormy Gaylord is exquisite in a solo in which she repeats a lovely arm movement, her arms bend gently down from above, her fingertips pointed on top of her head, forming almost a heart shape that reveals the gorgeous push and pull of gravity. Gaylord is strong and unshakable but also displays an airy and effortless grace. She is joined by Hannah King and Carolyn Fitzgibbons, who are also excellent.

A pas de deux with Salas (once again, riveting) and King is charming. Arms often intertwine as they playfully experiment with shifting weights. The piece is further punctuated several times with a sudden stop in the movement, in which the couple assumes a striking pose.

Kendyll Hazzard brought precision and intensity to the stage every time she appeared. Gularson, Sophronia Brooks and Jokari Walker (all apprentices) also do impressive work. Each imbues the choreography with his or her own movement quality and personality.

Again and again, Limón’s choreography returns to a signature hand gesture: arms overhead, with one hand cupped upwards to the sky and the other cupped down towards the ground.

Sometimes I lose myself in appreciation of a performance and realize I haven’t been taking notes, but rather letting myself just enjoy the dancing and the dance. This happened several times in the suite from A Choreographic Offering. This is a work that makes you wish you could join in, even if you aren’t a trained dancer. It was clear that the audience was swept up in the movement and the music. The luminous smiles of the dancers were never forced but are a genuine reflection of their pleasure in the movement.

In this final piece of the program, we see the lineage and legacy of Humphrey, her huge impact on Limón and then, in turn, his impact on choreographers like Paul Taylor and Doug Varone.

I’m hoping that more seats are filled for this weekend’s performances. If you have avoided modern dance, thinking it isn’t for you, I believe Kanopy’s celebration of Limón will change your mind.

The program plays at Overture Center’s Promenade Hall through Oct. 18.