William Tass Jones was born in Bunnell, Florida to a family of farmers. At a young age, Bill moved with his family to Wayland, NY. He attended college at SUNY Binghampton to study theater on an athletics scholarship and it was here that he began his dance training. In 1973, after traveling to Europe, he returned to Binghamton and founded the American Dance Asylum. He went on to meet his partner, Arnie Zane and together they created and toured many solos and duets centered around issues of identity. They went on to create Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company in 1982.

Bill T. Jones is an incredibly strong individual. His work lights upon subjects that could often be considered taboo. In his early days, he and Arnie performed solo works and duets that contained openly gay choreography. A mixed race, homosexual couple, the duo performed boldly, daring anyone to challenge them. After Arnie, a victim of the AIDS crisis, passed away, Bill choreographed Still/Here. He goes straight to the emotional core of accepting our own mortality and what it means to live with a life-threatening disease. The company is known for collaborating with other artists, whether they be musicians, singers, or visual artists, and often incorporates text into his dances. It is Bill's fearless choreography and stagecraft that marks his place in dance history. He has been honored with numerous awards for his work, including a MacArthur Fellowship, two Tony Awards, and 2010 Kennedy Center Honors.