Making the impossible possible: Choreographer Heidi Strauss is breaking the boundaries of dance

Heidi Strauss is a choreographer originally from Sudbury. Step into her practice as a choreographer as she works with dancers and unpacks her methodology in The Move: Season II.

Choreographer Heidi Strauss pushes the boundaries of what dance can be, taking her body to the edge of physical possibility. "What feels impossible is somehow intriguing to me." She learned from an early age that dance is more than just a series of steps — it carries power as a deeply charged form of expression. As a choreographer, her work is motivated by the political, social and environmental circumstances of our time, and it creates a space of discovery and exploration for both the audience and her performers.

From my point of view, choreographing and working with other dancers is not about me translating something that I see as my grand vision in the future of what this work will be, but it's discovering together what something can be.- Heidi Strauss

The way she works is a master class in leadership and active listening. In this video, Heidi breaks down her ideology as a choreographer as we watch her working in real time with dancers Naishi Wong and Luke Garwood from her upcoming show Lot X.

"The end point is something that we can't predict before we start. We're playing around with ideas in order to arrive at something together that can speak and that can speak with many different voices."

Follow Heidi Strauss here and see her performance of Lot X at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto May 29–Jun 2.

Eight of Canada's top choreographers share their astonishing moves — and the incredible stories behind why they dance in The Move: Season II. Find out more and stream the full series now on CBC Gem.