Bill T. Jones
Dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones was born on February 15, 1952 in Bunnell, Florida. He was the tenth of twelve children born to Estella Jones and Augustus Jones, both migrant farmers. At the age of twelve, Jones’ family moved to Wayland County in upstate New York. After graduating from Wayland High School, Jones enrolled at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton where he studied dance and participated in track and field.
In 1971, Jones met Arnie Zane, a photographer, who helped him discover his destiny as a dancer. Jones and Zane joined with one of their professors, Lois Welk, to form the American Dance Asylum (ADA). Their work with the ADA eventually led to Jones’ solo debut with the Dance Theatre Workshop’s Choreographers’ Showcase in 1977. During the next few years, Jones and Zane performed internationally. In 1982, Jones and Zane formed the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. Although the dance troupe met with great success, Zane took ill in 1984; and, in 1988, he died of AIDS-related lymphoma. Jones continued to work with the troupe and created personal works that allowed him to express his grief. One such work, “Absence,” made its debut in 1989. In 1990, the troupe premiered another work inspired by Zane, “Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”
In addition to creating more than 140 works for his own company, Jones has been commissioned to create dances for several modern and ballet companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Boston Ballet, Lyon Opera Ballet, and Berlin Opera Ballet, among others. Jones directed and performed in a collaborative work with Toni Morrison and Max Roach, “Degga” (1995), at Alice Tully Hall, which was commissioned by the Lincoln Center’s Serious Fun Festival. His collaboration with Jessye Norman, “How! Do! We! Do!” (1999), premiered at New York’s City Center. In 2010, Jones was named executive artistic director of New York Live Arts, a company formed by a merger of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company and Dance Theater Workshop.
Jones’ work has been recognized with the 2010 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award; the 2005 Wexner Prize; the 2005 Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement; the 2003 Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize; and the 1993 Dance Magazine Award. Jones has also received Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Yale University, the Art Institute of Chicago, Bard College, Columbia College, Skidmore College, the Juilliard School, and Swarthmore College. He is a recipient of the State University of New York at Binghamton Distinguished Alumni Award.
Bill T. Jones was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on October 8, 2014.
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10/8/2014
Jones
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Wayland-Cohocton High School
State University of New York at Binghamton
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Bunnell
JON38
Spring
Florida
New Mexico
Naming Things Is Only The Intention To Make Things.

New York
2/15/1952
New York
United States
Anything My Companion Makes
Dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones (1952 - ) cofounded the American Dance Asylum and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. He also served as executive artistic director of New York Live Arts.
American Dance Asylum
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
New York Live Arts
Dance Theatre Workshop
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Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Bill T. Jones' interview
Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones lists his favorites
Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones describes his father's upbringing and occupation
Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones describes his mother's upbringing and personality
Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones talks about how his parents met
Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones describes his likeness to his parents
Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones describes his earliest childhood memories
Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Bill T. Jones describes his home in Wayland, New York
Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Bill T. Jones lists his siblings
Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Bill T. Jones describes the African American community in Wayland, New York
Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Bill T. Jones talks about race relations in Wayland, New York
Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Bill T. Jones describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood
Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones remembers his most influential teachers
Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones describes his experiences at the Wayland Central School in Wayland, New York
Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones remembers his house burning down
Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones recalls his family's musical talents
Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones recalls his introduction to dance
Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones recalls working with Percival Borde
Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Bill T. Jones remembers meeting Arnie Zane
Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Bill T. Jones remembers traveling to Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones remembers studying dance in California with Lois Welk
Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones recalls establishing the American Dance Asylum
Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones describes the style of the American Dance Asylum
Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones remembers documenting his early choreography
Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones lists the choreographers who influenced him
Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones recalls his debut at the Delacorte Theater in New York City
Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Bill T. Jones recalls the response to his first major performance
Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Bill T. Jones talks about his relationship with Lois Welk
Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Bill T. Jones talks about his partnership with Arnie Zane
Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones talks about the critical reception of his work
Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones remembers meeting Alvin Ailey
Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones describes his choreographic influences, pt. 1
Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones describe his choreographic influences, pt. 2
Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones remembers forming the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones talks about Arnie Zane's death
Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Bill T. Jones describes the influence of the AIDS crisis upon his work
Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Bill T. Jones talks about his grieving process
Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Bill T. Jones remembers his relationship with Arthur Aviles
Tape: 4 Story: 11 - Bill T. Jones recalls the start of his relationship with Bjorn Amelan
Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Bill T. Jones reflects upon his romantic relationships
Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones remembers receiving a MacArthur Fellowship
Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones talks about his critics
Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones describes his family's reaction to his work
Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones remembers collaborating with Max Roach and Toni Morrison
Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones remembers his choreography for 'Spring Awakening'
Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones remembers directing and choreographing 'Fela!'
Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Bill T. Jones recalls his company's merger with the Dance Theater Workshop
Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Bill T. Jones talks about New York Live Arts
Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Bill T. Jones describes 'Story/Time'
Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Bill T. Jones talks about 'Analogy/Dora: Tramontane'
Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Bill T. Jones describes 'A Letter to My Nephew'
Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Bill T. Jones describes his plans for the future
Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Bill T. Jones reflects upon his legacy
Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Bill T. Jones describes how he would like to be remembered
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