Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith are New York based feminist artists who choreograph to problematize femme objectification and shame in relation to dance. Their work explores a relationship to improvisation as a feminist exclamation where the methodology depends on knowing and caring for one another. Recent acclaimed works of Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith include Gloria (2021) performed at Abrons Arts Center, Baryshnikov Arts Center, and New York Live Arts and a critic’s choice by the New York Times, Body Comes Apart (2019, New York Live Arts) documented by the New York Public Library and the subject of an upcoming chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Dance and Memory, and Basketball (2017, Baryshnikov Arts Center) featured in The New York Times “Best Dance of 2017.” Lieber received a 2016 “Bessie” for Outstanding Performance and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Dance and Women’s and Gender Studies at Queens College (CUNY). Recent teaching includes Bennington College, Connecticut College, The New School, Pratt, Sarah Lawrence College and Rutgers University. Granted a 2023/2024 Lifeline Award through LMCC, their work Zero Station premiered in the 2023 River-to-River Festival and was discussed in the Mnemedance Conference in Venice. Additional Awards and residencies: 2021/2022 NYSCA AIR Movement Research, 2021 Jerome Hill Finalist, 2020/2021 AIRSpace Abrons, 2019 FCA Emergency, 2019 BACSpace, 2018 Family Mt. Tremper Arts, 2018 Fellows The Yard, 2018 DiP Artists, NYTimes Best Dance of 2017, 2016 LMCC Process, 2013 Bessie Nomination Emerging Choreographer.

Molly Lieber received a “Bessie” Award for Outstanding Performer and has performed in works by luciana achugar, Malcolm-x Betts, Oren Barnoy, Wally Cardona, Keely Garfield, Maria Hassabi, Antonio Ramos, Melinda Ring, Donna Uchizono, among other experimental artists. Her recent project with Wally Cardona, TIMESFOUR/David Gordon:1975/2025, is one of The New York Times “Best Dance Performance of 2025” and heads to the American Dance Festival in May of 2026. Molly worked alongside dancing in New York hospitals and clinics as an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) supporting families with chestfeeding/breastfeeding, and her research article Queering Lactation was awarded the 2023 Women’s and Gender Studies Paper Award through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While earning her MFA in Dance and Graduate Certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies, Molly received UWM’s Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship and The Florence S. Healy Scholarship for Feminist Studies. Molly has taught at Sarah Lawrence College, Rutgers University, Bennington College, and The New School. She currently teaches as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Dance and Women’s and Gender Studies at Queens College (CUNY).

Eleanor Smith is a choreographer, freelance dancer, improviser, and teacher. She performed in the works of Ivy Baldwin Dance from 2009-2019, Molly Poerstel from 2013-2024, and Katie Workum Dance from 2013-2021. Eleanor has also performed in works by Vanessa Anspaugh, Anna Azrieli, Levi Gonzalez, Juliana F. May, Julie Mayo, and robbinschilds. She studied Authentic Movement with a group of artists called Duvet from 2020-2022. Outside of dance, Eleanor has studied with Resmaa Menakem and Bayo Akomolafe. Eleanor received her MFA (2023) with Honors in Dance at Hunter College, CUNY, where she also taught and served on the White Anti-Racist Caucus.

Collaborators

Oren Barnoy is a dancer and choreographer. He works and lives in Brooklyn.

Thomas Dunn designs lighting throughout US and abroad. Gloria is Thomas’ third production with Molly and Eleanor, previously Body Comes Apart and Basketball. Other selected design credits includes works with; Wally Cardona, Steve Cosson, Annie Dorsen, DD Dorvillier, Daniel Fish, Beth Gill, Trajal Harrell, Jennifer Lacey, Noémie Lafrance, David Levine, Tina Satter, Ong Keng Sen, and Jay Scheib. Thomas is the recipient of a Kevin Kline Award for Outstanding Lighting Design, The Little Dog Laughed, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis as well as a Bessie Design Award, Nottthing Is Importanttt, DD Dorvillier/human future dance corps.

Paul Hamilton, a Bessie-nominated dancer, began his training in Jamaica at the Jamaica School of Dance. After relocating to the United States, he continued his studies at SUNY Purchase under Kevin Wynn and Neil Greenberg. His dance repertoire includes performances with Elizabeth Streb, The Martha Graham Dance Ensemble, and The Barnspace Dance Company. In 2000, Paul embarked on a long-standing collaboration with Reggie Wilson Fist and Heel Performance Group, resulting in acclaimed works like Black Burlesque (revisited) and the Bessie-winning Big Brick. His thirst for knowledge led him to choreographer Keely Garfield, resulting in captivating pieces such as Scent of Mental Love and Telling the Bees. A pivotal moment arrived in 2014 when Paul teamed up with artist Ralph Lemon to create Chorus, an integral part of the Scaffold Room performance at the Kitchen NYC. His outstanding contributions earned him a Bessie nomination. Paul’s journey continued with performances in Bessie-winning productions, including Jane Comfort’s 40th Anniversary Retrospective and David Thomson’s He his own mythical beast. Notably, he restaged Bruce Nauman’s Wall Floor Position at the Museum of Modern Art. Currently, Paul thrives in original works by Melinda Ring, Neil Greenberg,and Susan Marshall. He is currently a Movement Research Artist in Residence, his choreographic work has been presented at Performa Biennial 2021 in collaboration with artist Kevin Beasley, and a Judson Church NYC. 

James Lo (sound design) is a product of suburban Detroit, the New England Conservatory, and Columbia University.   He has created scores for choreographers Oren Barnoy, Neil Greenberg, Elena Demyanenko, Katie Workum, Heather Olson, Mei-Yin Ng, Sarah Michelson, Maria Hassabi, Jennifer Monson, Levi Gonzalez, Ralph Lemon, RoseAnne Spradlin, and Lucy Guerin among others. As a younger man, he received New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) Awards for John Jasperse's furnished/unfurnished and for Donna Uchizono's State of Heads, and was named one of Treblezine.com’s 50 favorite drummers for his work with the bands Chavez and Live Skull.  In addition to sound design, Lo has worked as an embedded systems engineer for Robert Ashley, Elizabeth Streb, and David Behrman, and as an enterprise software consultant for many major financial services and life sciences companies.

Amanda K. Ringger (Lighting Design) has been designing locally, nationally, and internationally for over 20 years with artists such as Faye Driscoll, Cynthia Oliver, Doug Elkins, Leslie Cuyjet, Molly Poerstel, Ivy Baldwin, Laura Peterson, Darrah Carr, Antonio Ramos, Alexandra Beller, Sean Donovan, and cakeface, among many others. She received a BA from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD and an MFA from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She is the recipient of a Bessie award for her collaboration on Faye Driscoll's 837 Venice Boulevard at HERE Arts Center.