On two occasions — the second time in late March — Ms. Lang and Ms. Williams spoke about their range, their curiosity, their love of dance and now how not dancing is not an option. Here are edited excerpts from the conversations.

Both of you have performed so many kinds of dance. Is it a restlessness?

HEATHER LANG Restlessness and also opportunity. I’ve always felt kind of like an outcast. This desire to be boxed in, to have a table, to have a thing — especially coming from a ballet background, which now I’m learning to appreciate more — was so damn traumatic. I was the worst at my ballet school.

I always felt like, where do I belong? Where is my community? I was told I was fat every day. Ballet is a lot. “We love her, but she a lot.”

How did you break free?

LANG I discovered contemporary dance, and it was as if, oh my God, I found home.

EBONY WILLIAMS I like what you said about not being boxed in. I was bored with the idea of what a classical dancer was supposed to be, and my way [of dealing with it] was trying to make the things that make me imperfect feel good and graceful. To find ownership in the ugly in me and make it feel beautiful.

The show is on hiatus. What does this mean at this point in your careers?

LANG It isn’t as heart-wrenching as I think it would have been for me five years ago. Before the hip replacement, I didn’t know if I was ever going to dance again. So I kind of dealt with the death, if you will.