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They are women, hear them roar.

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Too often choreography is thought of as a man's job. While that assumption may be more true of ballet than modern dance, more and more women in both categories are choreographing these days--and their ranks are overflowing. To set the record straight, Dance Magazine is focusing this year's Choreography Issue exclusively on women. We talked to 10 top female choreographers and asked them these questions: How do you choose dancers? What does it mean to you to be a woman choreographer? And, What is your latest project?

Anne Teresa De

Keersmaeker

Artistic director, Rosas, Belgium

Interviewed by Cynthia Hedstrom

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On dancers I look for intelligence and generosity--in their presence, their will to communicate, to risk.

As a woman choreographer I have a lot of endurance. I can work very slowly, step by step. I think that's a female capacity, the consistency to keep on searching over a long period of time.

The combination of raising children with an intense career--with a company, a school and dancing--and with life as a mother and a woman, that has been the most challenging for me. You're splitting your attention in moments when work asks for all, and your children have the same need. But I never felt that I couldn't do anything in my work because of being a woman.

Current project Zeitung premiered in Paris in January. It started from simple technical questions: how movement is generated in different parts of the body, in time and space, about verticality and horizontality, about oneness, division. Zeitung tours to Holland, Spain, Belgium, and France, April to June.

Kathleen Marshall

Broadway choreographer/director

Interviewed by Lynn Shapiro

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On dancers What I'm looking for on top of technique is vivid dancers, people who are interesting, fascinating, who dance with a lot of energy and attack. I want it to feel like a bunch of individuals all doing the same steps, as opposed to Rockette precision dancing.

As a woman choreographer I just think of...

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