Arts & Entertainment
Bill T. Jones: The ‘Story/Time’ Memoir Interview
W
illiams Tass Jones is an accom-
plished artist, choreographer,
dancer, theater director and
writer. The world-renowned Renaissance
man was born in Bunnell, Florida on Febru-
ary 15, 1952, but raised in upstate New
York from an early age.
Bill began his dance training at the State
University at Binghamton, where he studied
classical ballet and modern dance. In 1982,
he formed the Bill T. Jones / Arnie Zane
Dance Company with his late partner, Arnie
Zane.
Today, he continues to serve as the com-
pany’s choreographer and artistic director.
He is also the executive director of New
York Live Arts, a multi-disciplinary per-
formance venue.
Bill is the recipient of many accolades,
including the National Medal of Arts, the
Kennedy Center Honors, the Jacob’s Pillow
Dance Award, Tony Awards in the Best
Choreography category (for Fela! And
Spring Awakening), a MacArthur Genius
Grant, the prestigious Order of Arts and
Letters from the government of France, and
induction into the National Museum of
Dance Hall of Fame.
Here, he talks about his career and his sur-
realistic new memoir, “Story/Time.”
Kam Williams: Hi Bill, thanks for the
interview. I loved the book.
Bill T. Jones: Fantastic!
KW: What a unique idea, turning a series
of surrealistic lectures you delivered at
Princeton into a memoir?
C ELEBRITY
I NTERVIEW
by Kam
Williams
BTJ: I don’t know why I still have this
illusion that I could do something quietly
which would just be for a very small group
of people. Now that the book is being pro-
moted, there are wider ramifications, and
it’s part of a whole other form of expression
beyond my just doing pure inquiry for
myself. And you’re one of those personali-
ties that comes along with that tsunami of
discourse. So, no complaints, I’m just
adjusting to that. So, what would you like to
do, Kam?
KW: I’d like to mix in questions from
fans with some of my own. Professor/Film-
maker/Author Hisani Dubose says: How
has the trend towards people relying on
technology for entertainment affected the
appreciation of creativity in terms of live
dance performances?
BTJ: [Laughs] Well, that’s quite a ques-
tion, Hisani. I appreciate the question.
We’re all wondering about that. There are a
couple things we see. Dancers were the last
romantics. The Romantic Movement of the
18th and 19th Century had this idea that
everything in the world was an expression
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‘Dancers were the last romantics. The Romantic Movement of the 18th and
19th Century had this idea that everything in the world was an expression of
Nature. We in the dance world held onto this idea for a long time that we
were Nature itself. There were no tricks involved. ‘
of Nature. We in the dance world held onto stein kept saying that they couldn’t find
this idea for a long time that we were Nature black professors who wanted to teach there,
itself. There were no tricks involved. When which was nonsense. Secondly, it’s nice to
the curtain went up, you saw real people see how much Mr. Botstein has grown since
onstage. And we took that as setting us apart then. An example of his progress is reflect-
from other cultural pursuits. It’s not scored ed in how many times Mr. Jones’ dance
and we don’t need a conductor to bring it to troupe has graced the stage at Bard. It’s
life. No, dance is about a group of people clear that Botstein now respects Mr. Jones
coming together and using their bodies. But as an artist with much to teach about dance.
now we’re in an electronic, on-demand age Third, let him know that I admire his war-
where everything can be reproduced, and rior spirit teaching the world about AIDS.
where life is an ever more turned inwards Fourth, let Mr. Jones know that the mother’s
experience. One thing about dance that I’m words of wisdom his mother gave him after
proud of is the fact that you have to show up he lost his partner really spoke to me. Final-
in a place and create an instant community ly, let him know that he is one of my heroes
for an event that occurs onstage which, and that this sister is major proud of his gift
depending on the skill of the creators, has and grace and of how he conducts his busi-
great resonance with that community of ness of dance.
I think watching live performers onstage is
different from standing around the water cooler
discussing last night’s episode of ‘Breaking Bad’
people. And this may sound suspiciously
Christian, but you also all share a commun-
ion. Do we have the same experience with
electronics? I think watching live perform-
ers onstage is different from standing
around the water cooler discussing last
night’s episode of Breaking Bad. I notice
that there is now this feeling among many
young people that the most important things
are those that are validated by media. Do
they go out of their way to attend an event
with a smaller group of people who share a
specialized interest? I tend to doubt it. And
I suspect that might be a consequence of the
rise of electronic media.
KW: Do you think electronic media
should somehow be restricted or perhaps
even eliminated?
BTJ: No, I’m not a reactionary in that
regard. I believe that human life is a spiritu-
al activity, and that anything that human
beings give themselves to with great enthu-
siasm can rise to the level of being
transcendent. I’m on the side of humanity
and its penchant for finding innovative
ways to express our dilemma through what-
ever medium we’re faced with.
KW: Marcia Evans says: First, let Bill T.
Jones know that ironically while on Bard
College Alumni site I discovered that he
received an honorary degree. Let him know
as a past Bard student it made me proud to
see him at that podium. It brought back my
fond memories and my disappointing ones
regarding lack of professors of color teach-
ing at that esteemed college. The years I
attended in the early 1980 black professors
were not teaching at Bard at that time. This
was before Toni Morrison who was the first
professor of color to teach there. Leon Bot-
BTJ: Well, Marcia, I am overwhelmed by
your response, because I am very much
African-American, even though I’m not a
Christian like my mother was. Still, I appre-
ciate the African tradition in the Black
Church where you stand up and speak out to
the community and the community answers
back, effectively saying, “I hear you!” And
this is what this communication with you
has just done for me, Marcia. One of the
struggles of a contemporary modern artist is
to bridge this question: Is my work coming
from a continent of one, an inner voice, a
unique personal experience? Or is it that
you have the privilege of standing on the
shoulders of a community of people who
have afforded you that platform, and that
your work is always going to be negotiating
that inner personal location and the ongoing
discussion that your people are happy? I am
really proud when I receive national honors,
but I’m equally pleased when I hear a sister,
a black woman, actually embrace me like a
brother. I no longer feel alienated at this
moment.
KW: Was writing this book a cathartic
experience for you?
BTJ: On one level it was. The book ini-
tially was three lectures in which I
attempted to work out some ideas in public.
Since I’m a performer, that’s how I’m most
comfortable. But, it’s a whole other thing
when you’re confronted with just your
words on the page unaccompanied by your
personality. So, yes, it was cathartic, but it
was also nerve-wracking because I’m a pro-
fessional performer, not a professional
writer.
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