In this episode, Elizabeth Streb and members of her company talk through their process and how they understand the death-defying work they do. They also talk about how they understand fear and movement while seeking to challenge societal norms.

MacArthur “Genius” Award-winner, Elizabeth Streb has dived through glass, allowed a ton of dirt to fall on her head, walked down (the outside of) London’s City Hall, and set herself on fire, among other feats of extreme action. Her popular book, STREB: How to Become an Extreme Action Hero (Feminist Press), was made into a hit documentary. Streb founded the STREB Extreme Action Company in 1979. She has been a featured speaker presenting her keynote lectures at a number or prestigious institutions. Streb received a Doris Duke Artist Award in 2013, and a USA Fellowship in 2020. She holds a Master of Arts in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University, a Bachelor of Science in Modern Dance from SUNY Brockport, and honorary doctorates from SUNY Brockport, Rhode Island College and Otis College of Art and Design. Streb has received numerous other awards and fellowships including the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1987; a Brandeis Creative Arts Award in 1991; two New York Dance and Performance Awards (Bessie Awards), in 1988 and 1999 for her “sustained investigation of movement;” and over 35 years of on-going support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Interviewers: Mary Ryan, PhD student in ASPECT; D'Elia Chandler, Government Relations @ Virginia Tech

Presented in partnership with the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts