Professional Lineage

Bill T Jones is one of the most influential and controversial choreographers in the 21^st century.  He is trained in African, modern and post-modern dance, classical ballet and contact improve, all of which are clearly displayed while watching him move.  Much of his own movement as well as his choreography is a physical manifestation of diversity in action and interaction.  After first learning the beginning of his movement training at Binghamton College, he and Arnie Zane later moved to the West Coast and worked with Luis Welk at the American Dance Asylum.  Currently, he has his own dance company, T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, as well as choreographed for numerous notable artists. 

            Bill T Jones, as a black, gay, HIV positive man, is a survivor who many find influential.  In his own company, he has always included multiple races as well as multiple body types.  He is most influenced by life itself; civil rights, identity politics, counter culture movements, and avant gardism.  He has stated that some of his early-life heros include Jose Limon, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham and Martha Graham.  Most of all, he has been influenced by his former partner, Arnie Zane.  He and Arnie had multiple collaborations throughout their time together. This works are basically an 11-year partnership that eventually resulted in their company. 

 More notable partnerships include, in 1995, when Jones directed and performed in a collaborative work with Toni Morrison and Max Roach, Degga, at Alice Tully Hall, commissioned by Lincoln Center's Serious Fun Festival. His collaboration with Jessye Norman, How! Do! We! Do!, premiered at New York's City Center in 1999. Jones's curiosity in digital technology and new media has resulted in collaborations with the team of Paul Kaiser, Shelley Eshkar and Marc Downie, now known as OpenEnded Group. The collaborations include After Ghostcatching - the 10th Anniversary re-imagining of Ghostcatching; 22; and Ghostcatching - A Virtual Dance Installation.