For dancer and choreographer Jamar Roberts, work means more than simply creating movement. Its about recalling pivotal moments throughout history, his childhood and current events, and bringing them back to life. Roberts passion for Black storytelling is translated through the depth of research he does for each project, amplifying messages of love and tragedy for his audiences. When Roberts dives into often forgotten eras, music and topics, he hopes to learn as much about them as possible to tell each story through dance, with grace and authenticity.

Roberts first got his start as a dancer for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2002, where he worked his way up to serving as resident choreographer of the company from 2019-2022. During his time at the company, he created five bodies of work his final one, In A Sentimental Mood, debuted last year. The piece fused Duke Ellingtons music with experimental and alternative sounds from Rafiq Bhatia of Son Lux, to help dancers tell a story of Black love.