Presence means existence; not in the sense that an object, material or a person is visible or not, but in the sense that it has created an impact that lingered on even after it was gone. Bill T. Jones created a presence in his performances, leaving traces of movement and remains of identity.

Presence, in Jones case, is not visible. Through motion-capture technology, Jones’ movement is interpreted with the absence of his sweat, labor and race. We cannot see the exhaustion in his face or the sweat trickling down his body and yet there is still a very strong presence. Although signs of labor are not visible, the technological figures re-create his movements and through those figures, we can imagine the body forming those movements.

However, the strongest presence that Jones leaves behind is the one that rests in the minds of the audience after his performance is over. Filling their thoughts with contemplations on what they just saw and what it means. This presence never ends, as it is now more than just present, it is meaning.

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