The walls of Associate Professor William Thomas' office are lined with photos of dancers, including Judith Jamison, Alvin Ailey, Ballet Hispanico, Crupo Corpo Brazilian Dance and the Dance Theater of Harlem.
Aside from the pictures, the office is seemingly humble, containing a vintage television, computer and a steel bookcase holding Thomas' Black Education Achievement Award and a Milton Plesur Honorable Mention Plaque.
Thomas is also the director of the Modern Dance Program and of graduate studies for the School of Dance.
"I went to a visual and performing arts high school in St. Louis where I was an art major. There were no sports teams, so I took a dance class for the physical activity. The teachers always said I was pretty good," said Thomas.
Thomas, who has been dancing for 26 years, received a bachelor's degree from Western Conservatory and his master's from Ohio State University.
Thomas' resume boasts of achievements from around the globe. He has performed in Amsterdam, Argentina and Montreal, and has taught and choreographed at Hampton University, Florida A&M University and Dance Una in Costa Rica.
Thomas has also presented his choreography at La MaMa E.T.C., an off-Broadway production house in the East Village in New York City. He was also a choreographer and dancer with Off-Track Dancers in St. Louis and has worked with Chita Rivera on the production of "Anything Goes," also in St. Louis.
Most recently, Thomas served as a guest ballet teacher for "Philadanco!," the Philadelphia Dance Company, before the start of this semester. He then graced the musical "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."
Thomas came to UB with a fully stamped passport and an abundant worldview.
"I was touring the country with 'Sesame Street Live' back in '89, and we were doing a show (in Buffalo). As we toured, I used to take classes. When I came to UB, they said you can take a class in exchange for teaching. So I did that and dropped off my resume. A few months later they said a position had opened, and I've been here ever since," said Thomas.
According to Thomas, ignorance within the dance world has forced him to strive to prove himself.
"Ballet is hardest for black dancers. Some people feel that black people cannot dance ballet because of our body type, which is a stigma attached to us," explained Thomas. "Ballet is the only genre where there is that stigma. Many black ballet dancers leave America for Europe where they are more appreciated and can get leading roles."
Thomas has attempted to break through these stereotypes through his success as a dancer. He said people unfamiliar with the fine arts might only understand dance as stage performance, underrating its difficulty and sophistication.
"Dance goes beyond the stage. There is the history, theoretical concerns, anatomy . along with teaching pedagogy and aesthetics," said Thomas.
Students who know Thomas admire his persistence and caring nature with students.
"He's a great teacher. He makes you work really hard," said Nikia Manders, a senior dance major. "As an international student he made me feel welcomed and at home. He's also been a mentor and friend to me as well."
Christian Donnelly, junior musical theater major, also had nothing but praise for Thomas.
"He has been looking after me not only in the classroom. He's always been someone I could talk to," she said.
Currently, Thomas is involved in the production of "1, 2, 3, 4 . Countdown to Celebration 30!," being performed by Zodiaque, a dance company composed of students from UB's theater and dance departments.
Thomas' segment of "Countdown to Celebration 30!" is called "Spirits in the Mist," a pointe ballet piece. Pointe ballet is a discipline that requires dancers to perform on their toes. The performance includes an ensemble of five women dancing to a new age jazz mix.
The music selection for a performance is often the most important part of the creative execution of a concept, Thomas said, and his productions are occasionally encouraged by music.
"I had an idea first, but sometimes I'm inspired by the music," said Thomas.
The dancers' strengths are also taken into account when Thomas develops his performance.
"I really like the choreography. He had us write character bios on who our spirit was. It was the projection behind the movement," said Yvonne Messer, a dance and biological science major.
"1, 2, 3, 4 . Countdown to Celebration 30!" opens on Oct.18 at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit the Center for the Arts Box Office or call 645-ARTS.
