First Fest: The Nazareth College Arts Center Dance Festival

If you’re near Rochester, NY, check out the inaugural Nazareth College Arts Center Dance Festival, which runs through Saturday, July 17. The celebration features performances (some outdoors), panel discussions and tons of master classes—and many of the events are free! Innovative dancemaker Elizabeth Streb and her group, Extreme Action Company, headline the fest and will premiere STREB: FORCES.

Streb has been interested in gravity—or, more precisely, defying it—for some time, and in her newest work, she blends this pursuit with circus spectacle and hip hop energy. The result is a new dance genre Streb calls a “movical,” something she’s described as sort of like a musical, but focused on movement rather than music. We’re not quite sure what that means, but we’re almost certain the show will be unlike any other you’ve seen (in a good way!). For information about tickets to STREB: FORCES and other events visit the festival website.