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Encore Awards

Mark Jones is viewed by many as responsible for Limón Dance’s current renaissance. When he joined the company in March of 1992, it had a large operating deficit and was close to filing for bankruptcy. Mark’s analysis of the crisis and how to get out of it saved the day. He galvanized the staff and developed an action plan to keep the operation afloat, while a plan was developed to eliminate the deficit. He convinced the members of the Board and funders that Limón both deserved to be saved and could be saved. It was this tenacity that aided the organization in eliminating the deficit during the 1994-95 season.

Not only has Mark been effective in crisis management but his vision and that of Artistic Director Carla Maxwell have allowed the organization to develop a long-range plan for Limón to realize its potential and fulfill its mission of preserving the José Limón-Doris Humphrey legacy as one of America’s leading repertory dance companies. To that end, Limón received a National Endowment for Arts Challenge Grant to expand the New York company, develop Limón West, a small ensemble of dancers in the Company’s second home, San Jose, California, and acquire and commission new works for the Company in celebration of its 50th Anniversary. Mark has also been very creative and successful in attracting support form a wide variety of sources; he has created local business and arts partnerships, developed entrepreneurial marketing sponsorships and developed alliances with government funders.

Mark’s professionalism and commitment to the arts extends beyond the Limón company. He teaches in the Graduate Program in Arts Administration at Columbia University and was recently elected Co-Chair of the Manager’s Council of Dance USA. Limón Board Chair, Edith Weiner, contends, "Mark has led an outstanding life in the arts for the last thirty years, and his professionalism, hard work and devotion to others is exemplary. His contribution to the field of dance is restoring the Limón company to health and prominence is an accomplishment which will have an impact on American dance for many years to come."