Horton's dance technique (link em português), which is now commonly known as Horton Technique, has no style, per se. The technique emphasizes a whole body, anatomical approach to dance that includes flexibility, strength, coordination and body and spatial awareness to enable unrestricted, dramatic freedom of expression.

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"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." Lester Horton (1906-1953).

 

Nowadays, Horton technique's classes vary from one teacher to another. Though, there are some principles you'll find frequently, like the practice of what he called Fortifications, Projections, Locomotions, Improvisations, Preludes, and Rhythms.

It is said that the core of his system lies in the Fortification series. They are the specific exercises that work over physical skills, like force and flexibility, but also over rhythmical abilities.

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Horton had classical ballet knowledge but had also been trained by a dancer named Michio Ito with traditional Japanese techniques. Horton developed his own approach to dance that incorporated diverse elements including Native American Folk Dance, Japanese arm gestures, Javanese and Balinese isolations for the upper body, particularly the eyes, head and hands. Horton also included Afro-Caribbean elements, like hip circles.  It is a powerful method (if done properly of course), mostly in developing a strong body. The result of this technique when done regularly is a strong lean body versatile and ready to adapt to a variety of dance styles whatever your preference. Horton technique improves flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness.

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Bradley Shelver in his book Performance through the Technique of Lester Horton quoted an excerpt from an interview with the late James Truttie, an ex Horton Company member said of Horton in Class “ I have seen him stop people in class and ask them, ‘Who are you?’ If you are you, don’t try to dance like him or her, dance like yourself.  He told us, ‘Your own personal individuality is your most priceless asset’. Lester did not want to make little Lester Horton’s of us”.

 

Lester Horton was known to be a radical, for introducing to the world, that it was acceptable for people of different races to dance together. He was the first choreographer to have an integrated black/white dance company in the 1950s, and his company performed a diversity of dance styles such as jazz, modern, tap, and world dance, among others.

Some dancers that were trained by Lester Horton include Alvin Ailey, Joyce Trisler, and Bella Lewitzky.

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