Meet Elizabeth L. Strano

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth L. Strano.

Elizabeth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I knew from the moment I learned my first piece of choreography that dance was what I wanted to do with my life. I started dancing at 14 on my high school’s varsity dance team and didn’t receive any classical training until I was 17 or 18, but a late start didn’t deter me from my dreams. I went on to study dance, English, and theatre in college and received my BA in 2016. My education exposed me to a variety of different styles, including dances of the African diaspora, Jamaican folk forms, Jamaican dancehall, modern, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and hip-hop, and I walked away with a deep appreciation for movement and dance history. After graduation, I took a step back from the post-grad chaos and moved home to Vermont, where I was offered a job coaching high school varsity dance – ironically, for my high school’s rival team – and fell in love with teaching and choreographing all over again. In between practices, competitions, games, cutting music, ordering costumes, coordinating schedules, and choreographing new routines, I bartended five nights a week, took ballet classes for myself, and found time to go to dance intensives in New York City. It was chaotic, but every moment was so fulfilling.

In 2018, I decided that it was time for me to pursue my own performance dreams. I’d always wanted to live and work in Los Angeles, in the heart of the commercial dance industry, so in the summer of last year, I took a cross-country road trip with my mom to move me here and start this new chapter on my own. I’ve been training here ever since, and regularly take classes from teachers I’d only once dreamed of training with. I’m working on improving my retention skills, boosting my confidence, making smart freestyle choices, and embracing the process of pursuing this beautiful dream.

Has it been a smooth road?
I knew coming out here that things wouldn’t be all roses, all the time, but it was hard to anticipate how challenging it would be. I am very open about my struggle with anxiety and depression, and finding my way on my own in a new city, 3,000 miles away from all that I was familiar with, brought a lot of those mental health challenges to their peak. Until about a month ago, I was back and forth between wanting to stay and feeling like I should leave – self-doubt in this industry is very real, and it can be hard to connect with others. Recently, through a lot of hard work, reflection, soul-searching, and conversations with my teachers and my therapist, I’ve begun to come into my own and am feeling more confident in trusting my process, being patient with my training, and not giving up on my dreams. Dance is all I want to do with my life – there is no back-up plan.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Currently, I am a freelance dancer and teacher. I am always trying to diversify my training, but my focus is primarily on dancehall, hip-hop, heels, jazz-funk, and contemporary styles of movement. I have prior training in physical theatre as well.

I have taught and choreographed for competitive dance teams, concert dance showcases, as well as for dancers with limited mobility. Throughout all of these experiences, creating a safe, welcoming space for people to move freely without judgment or pressure to look like anyone else is of paramount importance to me. There is a dancer in all of us, regardless of skill level, and we can learn something new and beautiful from every single person we meet and move with. I try to teach at least once a month – shameless plug here, my next class is June 2nd at Evolution Studios at 6 PM! My class is open to anyone who wants to move, connect, vibe, and explore together. No experience is necessary, and I will always have modifications prepared for those seeking an alternative movement choice in trickier spots. I also do not have cameras come in to film class – while I think cameras can be extremely beneficial, I don’t think they’re always necessary and can sometimes cause a lot of stress.

Honoring and acknowledging dance history and culture is also something that I try to emphasize and keep in mind. One of my favorite teachers always says that dance is culture, and by learning dance, we learn about the culture from which it was borne and where it exists. Appropriation is rampant in the dance community – so understanding where different forms of dance come from and how dance speaks its historical experiences to the world is something that I am deeply interested in investigating. Being a lifelong learner and respectful of the art and its foundations is vital to maintaining the integrity of dance.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the sheer number of dance classes – back home, I would drive two hours round-trip to the nearest city, just to take one 90-minute dance class. Here, you can take class in almost any style, any day of the week! Aside from dance, I love the food scene here. I’m an amateur foodie and trying new cuisines and restaurants (when that paycheck hits, of course) is something I love to do.

Personally, I don’t like being so far away from home, but if it means pursuing my dreams, then it’s something I’m willing to do. Regarding the city itself… I can’t say I love the traffic. I grew up in New Jersey, so I’m familiar with bumper-to-bumper at rush hour, but it’s still a challenge sometimes!

Contact Info:

• Email: elizabethlstrano@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_strano/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethstranodancer/

Image Credit:
Kristina Zaidner, Alexandra Kacha

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