José A. Luis was born in Veracruz, Mexico and raised in Racine, WI. He has lived in Milwaukee, Chicago, and now Minneapolis as of 2017. Relocation, returning, arrival, and departure influence his work using time and space as motifs. Dance offered him a way to communicate without words while offering interpretation to those he shared the room with. Considered a “late-dancer”, his ability to learn and unlearn in sync led him to graduate UW-Milwaukee with a BFA in 2013. Circumstances have led him to serve as both choreographer and dancer in a solo path while welcoming collaborations, residencies to reflect who he is in dance, and presentations to shift his perspectives. Determination led to his first self-produced solo show in September 2021 by threading pieces over nine years and across different cities, cementing his voice as an independent artist. The intimate, introspective, honest approach of his choreography is also present in his dancing, paving the way as a dancer in other artist’s work. José’s tenacity, skill, and acceptance in navigating the imperfectness of being human is at the forefront of who he is—in and outside the dance floor. For a thorough biography: www.jose.dance/bio