In Major Blow To Arts Scene, One Of L.a.’s Most Vital Dance Troupes To Shutter After 20 Years

After 20 years arsenic 1 of nan city’s astir respected and energetic homes for modern creation successful Los Angeles, Bodytraffic plans an intentional sunset successful July astatine nan conclusion of its existent season, nan institution is expected to denote Thursday. The company’s extremity wasn’t planned, but it became basal erstwhile its creator head and co-founder, Tina Finkelman Berkett, decided to measurement backmost from her role, citing fundraising fatigue and a desire for change.

“Over these past years, I sewage to recognize nan dream I had for this company, and what I wanted to springiness Los Angeles,” Berkett said. “The fundraising facet of this occupation has been amongst nan hardest parts of my life for 20 afloat years, and it’s taken rather a toll connected me. Over nan past year, I started to consciousness fresh for nan adjacent chapter.”

The news of Bodytraffic’s unexpected closure comes soon aft nan institution received a $1-million multi-year wide operating support assistance from nan Perenchio Foundation successful September 2024, and past announced Trey McIntyre arsenic imaginative partner and Lucinda Lent arsenic executive advisor that November.

Over nan years, Bodytraffic commissioned useful by choreographers Micaela Taylor, Kyle Abraham, Victor Quijada, Matthew Neenan and Juel D. Lane, among others. It became 1 of nan first L.A.-based creation companies to adopt nan repertory exemplary akin to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

With nan finance of committee president Gillian Wynn, Bodytraffic was 1 of nan fewer companies to supply surviving wages, wellness security and beingness therapy for its dancers. As a organization leader, nan institution had partnerships pinch acquisition and organization organizations, including Everybody Dance LA!, L.A. County High School for nan Arts and Boys & Girls Club of Metro Los Angeles, emphasizing outreach to younker and group pinch disabilities.

Bodytraffic became 1 of nan first L.A. creation companies to connection wellness security and beingness therapy for its dancers.

(Kevin Parry)

When Berkett decided to measurement away, she initially went to nan committee for penetration connected really to proceed. They deliberated, considering a successor aliases a caller business model. Ultimately, nan committee recovered location was nary measurement to replicate nan committedness and power Berkett put into nan company, some artistically and financially. They decided that nan correct prime was to observe what nan institution has done complete nan past 2 decades and adjacent beardown pinch a last nationalist season, “Tour of Thanks.”

Bodytraffic’s past L.A. shows are scheduled to return spot astatine nan Wallis from June 4 to 6. The company’s last capacity will beryllium pinch Aspen Santa Fe Ballet connected July 25. In nan meantime, nan committee and activity will assistance its dancers successful successfully transitioning retired of nan institution and into different opportunities.

“I dream that group who came to emotion creation and performing arts because of america proceed to put successful our city,” Berkett said. “People person to spell retired and support nan arts, actively, to support them alive, and I cognize that I will person a lifelong committedness to furthering this cause.”

Berkett co-founded nan institution successful 2007 pinch Lillian Barbeito astatine nan property of 23. As personification who grew up successful New York City, Berkett dreamed of performing astatine nan Joyce, moreover arsenic she started a institution successful Los Angeles. She recalled her family and teachers emotion uncertain astir her move to nan West Coast, particularly since L.A. wasn’t considered a hub for modern dance. Finally bringing Bodytraffic to nan Joyce successful 2012 proved nan thought wasn’t arsenic unreachable arsenic it seemed.

“At nan extremity of nan show, nan institution bowed, nan curtains closed, and Lillian and I collapsed connected that shape and cried,” she said. “We sobbed and sobbed. I’ll ne'er hide that moment.”

Shortly after, a New York Times review described nan capacity arsenic offering “signs of life from nan Los Angeles creation scene.”

Bodytraffic quickly became a beacon for modern creation successful a metropolis wherever specified a institution was a rarity. Katie Garcia, who has been pinch nan institution for six years, discovered Bodytraffic while studying astatine Juilliard, wherever Berkett taught workshops to seniors. Although Garcia ne'er met Berkett during her clip astatine nan school, she reached retired to her via email pinch her materials, asking astir nan anticipation of joining. She’s been pinch nan institution since and holds onto memories of touring and nan obligatory “company meetings” that Berkett turned into astonishment day celebrations for nan dancers.

“Arts organizations are really struggling correct now pinch nan existent climate, and it’s made it progressively difficult for mini organizations to prolong their activity and their artists, but I’m really proud of nan lasting effect that I cognize our institution has had successful creating opportunities for artists, connecting pinch our organization and contributing to nan taste cloth of our field,” Garcia said.

Choreographer Micaela Taylor moving pinch Bodytraffic connected October 17, 2022. The institution hosted galore breathtaking artists complete its 20-year history.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Dancer Chandler Davidson is 1 of nan company’s much caller additions. They attended nan summertime intensive successful 2024, and Berkett recruited them arsenic a impermanent artist, moreover though they were successful nan past twelvemonth of assemblage astatine nan University of North Carolina School of nan Arts. Upon completion of their bachelor of good arts grade successful May 2025, they joined full-time.

“Tina made my dream travel true,” they said. “When you perceive ‘company,’ you deliberation of New York City, but I’ve ever had nan dream of surviving successful Los Angeles. She virtually handed maine that dream connected a platter, truthful I’m thing short of grateful.”

Berkett chiefly focused connected giving dancers a way forward, whether aliases not they continued pinch nan company. Garcia transitioned into nan position of rehearsal head and discovered a emotion for nurturing nan institution culture. Meanwhile, dancers Joan Rodriguez and Jordyn Santiago sewage to choreograph caller activity nether Berkett’s supervision. Telling nan dancers astir Bodytraffic’s extremity was difficult and sad for Berkett, but she says she was met pinch gratitude and empathy for her desire to evolve.

“It’s super-bittersweet, and I dream that nan organization tin spot this, not conscionable arsenic a loss, but besides a win,” Davidson said. “It’s easy to go nan dancer first earlier nan human, and I dream that this inspires leaders, dancers, admins and group successful nan manufacture to perceive to themselves.”

As Bodytraffic comes to an end, it leaves down a bequest of artistry and organization building done dance. Berkett plans to relish each 2nd of it.

“I’ve spent almost 20 years fundraising,” she said. “This will beryllium nan first clip that I’m going to extremity asking group for money, and I americium going to savor these 5 months. I americium going to return successful each past spot of enjoying my dancers and loving my job.”