Having grown up in a predominantly ballet-centric environment my knowledge of current modern dance was very limited. Bill T. Jones was one of the few names that I was aware of. My interest in his company began to grow when I was in High School and learned that one of my family friends (and soon to be professor) had danced with him for many years. My freshman year of college the company came to Milwaukee and I watched a performance of Serenade: The Preposition, one of his pieces on Abraham Lincoln.

Bill T. Jones stands out to me as a choreographer primarily because of the subject matter that he brings into his dances. He is always presenting a strong idea to his audience, just like a preacher or a philosopher would do, except that Bill does it through dance. I feel connected to his works; I feel as if the dance has something important to say. As a choreographer myself, I strive to make pieces that speak to the hearts of my audience. I want to make them feel something, whether it be happy, uncomfortable, guilty, awed, or scared. Often times though, I get apprehensive about the message I am presenting and how it could be perceived. Bill does not seem to be afraid of what he is making his audience feel. Perhaps that comes with being a successful choreographer for so many years.

All of Bill's pieces are incredibly important to both him and his public. Both him and his work are symbols of hope and activism. Through his dances he demands equality and democracy. He forces us to think about our lives and also our inevitable deaths. He brings his audience into the "real world". Nothing is held back. Nothing is sugar coated. Everything is undeniably real.

I believe that today's world needs a healthy dose of that kind of reality. Everyone is so polarized and so much is perceived to be either black or white. Good or bad. Bill's work moves past that. He dives headfirst into the gray area and forces his audience to come along for the ride. He challenges religion, politics, history. He asks questions with his choreography that most people are afraid to ask.