My idea for the Jamison Project was rather like a pickup company. The idea was to give the dancers a taste of the menu. Today, dancers need to try as many companies as possible without having a drop-dead loyalty to me or anyone else. They like to have the leeway to go their own way.
As long as there are dancers around who love to dance, there will be an Alvin Ailey American Dance Company. We miss him so much, but he's alive as soon as you see a dancer hit the stage.
Alvin knew what I would do with it because we worked together for such a long time. It's part of my blood and part of who I am as a human being. Alvin's presence is felt by us all, even the new dancers who never worked with him. And if we do our jobs well, that continues the vision.