Photographed at STREB Lab for Action Mechanics, Brooklyn, NY
Since she opened her first dance studio in a rat infested loft in Soho in the early 70’s, Elizabeth Streb has sought to explore and redefine movement, with dramatic results. Now, at 68, she remains a kinetic figure with a commanding presence and the warmth of your favorite auntie. Streb no longer dances regularly with her company, comprised of ‘action heroes’, and once you see her dancers in performance or rehearsal (or even on video), it becomes clear that her works are created for the young—with nerves of steel. Strength, courage, extreme agility, stamina and the desire to fly, are all requirements for the job. The action is intense, risky and punishing, but Streb and her dancers exude perpetual devotion to their craft and an appetite for more.