Maria Caruso is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Bodiography Contemporary Ballet with a look back at her dance company’s legacy and a glimpse into its future.
From Friday through Sunday, she’ll present four performances of “Red Carpet Roll Out,” a snapshot of favorite works she’s created over the years and the premiere of a new one. The program will be staged in The Movement Factory, an artists hub created in a former mattress factory in the North Side’s Chateau neighborhood.
The building will become a second home for Bodiography, artist lofts and programming showcasing out-of-town performers and genres beyond dance. The company will continue to use its longtime studio on Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill.
The public got its first look inside the North Side space on New Year’s Eve during a special performance of Caruso’s off-Broadway 1980s dance retrospective “Rearview Mirror.” She had hoped the renovation would be complete by now, but “massive construction delays” prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues have pushed back the formal move-in date until later this year.
“The challenges we’ve had with this ‘Red Carpet Roll Out’ have been a lot to navigate, but we’re thinking creatively about how we can be in the space for these performances,” Caruso said.
Her plan with real estate developer Dave Colaizzi – who bought the 176,000-square-foot building in 2007 – is to turn part into a convertible theater space with rehearsal studios, lofts for artists and dormitories for students taking part in intensive programs or programming connected to La Roche University, where Caruso is an associate professor of performing arts and director of creative initiatives.
Another portion of the building is already home to retail and office space for Signature Diagnostics, a science research clinic and COVID-19 testing lab.
With the fourth-floor theater space still under construction, Caruso plans to use “Red Carpet Roll Out” as a chance to showcase what the third-floor loft area will look like. For the weekend, the floor will become a makeshift performance space with at least one loft set up so patrons can see inside.
Building plans include 20 studio, one- and two-bedroom units that will be available for rent. Caruso’s presenting company M Train Productions also will have a unit for visiting artists to perform their own work or collaborate with Bodiography.
“I want this to be a fuller experience — not just for my company and students but also for the artists,” she said. “As an artist on the road, there’s something about being able to relax in a comfortable space and reflect on what you’ve done after a six- or seven-hour rehearsal. I’ve found those moments to be very valuable to the creative process.”
Colaizzi said there’s also a need for more residential, rehearsal and performance spaces for local artists. Prior to the pandemic, he often fielded inquiries from creatives looking for venues that combine comfort with convenience. He liked the idea of developing an interdisciplinary space that housed professionals from the sciences and arts.
“Being cross discipline is what helps us to thrive,” he said. “One of my ideas is to have a rooftop garden. You may find all of these people interacting, collaborating, chatting and sharing coffee. That’s what I got really excited about.”
Beyond the new venue, Caruso is excited for the walk down memory lane in “Red Carpet Roll Out.” It will be a chance to see dancers not only from Bodiography’s main company but also from its sister groups BCB2, BCB3 and Bodiography Charlotte, along with student artists.
“I wanted the show to be completely about the expression of Bodiography and its legacy,” she said.
The first half of the show will feature pieces danced by larger groups, followed by a selection of Caruso’s favorite solos, duos and trios. The program will conclude with the premiere of “Emerald City,” danced to an original score by composer Kevin Keller.
Caruso said The Movement Factory will open up more opportunities for cross-cultural exchanges. One of the artists in the program is from the Brazilian dance company Cisne Negro. Brazil was among the countries she recently toured, and Cisne Negro dancers are slated to perform here in the fall to celebrate the conclusion of the 20th anniversary and, hopefully, the grand opening of The Movement Factory.
“Dance is for everybody and every body. I’ve spent 20 years trying to push that out into the universe,” Caruso said. “That’s what I hope the future holds at The Movement Factory – an amazingly inclusive space where everybody is welcome and their ideas and creativity are welcome.”
Sara Bauknecht: Follow on Twitter @Sara_Bauknecht.
First Published: February 21, 2022, 11:00 a.m.