BODYTRAFFIC to Close with Final Los Angeles Performances at the Wallis
Works by Trey McIntyre, Cayetano Soto, and Richard Siegal highlight the farewell program at the Wallis Annenberg Center.
Celebrating two transformative decades redefining contemporary dance, BODYTRAFFIC returns to its longtime home theater, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, for its final Los Angeles engagement, June 4–6, 2026. Each evening features a distinct program celebrating BODYTRAFFIC's signature blend of athleticism, artistry, and eclectic voices. Performances include works by Fernando Hernando Magadan, Cayetano Soto, Joan Rodriguez, Trey McIntyre, and Richard Siegal.
Long recognized as one of the country''s most vital contemporary companies, BODYTRAFFIC has transformed the stage with inspiring performance, inventive repertory, dynamic collaborations, and a deep commitment to community. This final L.A. program is both a tribute and a farewell, honoring the legacy of a company that has left an indelible mark on the cultural fabric of its city.
In March 2026, BODYTRAFFIC's Board of Directors announced an intentional sunset, after twenty years of artistic excellence, global touring, and lasting connections amongst its creative team and with audiences around the world.
BODYTRAFFIC was born from a singular chemistry among its co-founders Lillian Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett, dancers and repertoire. Berkett became sole Artistic Director in 2020. As she reached a natural turning point and began considering a new chapter, the decision to close the company came after a year-long exploration of possible alternatives, ultimately revealing a natural and purposeful close.
BODYTRAFFIC's performances at The Wallis are part of its final season and national Tour of Thanks that features works by Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Juel D. Lane, Micaela Taylor, Cayetano Soto, Jordyn Santiago, Joan Rodriguez and more, as well as community outreach across 22 U.S. cities.
“Twenty years ago, I could never have imagined the extraordinary journey BODYTRAFFIC would take — the artists we would champion, the audiences we would reach, and the community we would build together through dance,” said Tina Finkelman Berkett. “These final performances are deeply meaningful, as The Wallis has been a home for BODYTRAFFIC and a place where we have shared some of our most defining artistic moments. While this chapter is coming to a close, I leave with immense gratitude for every dancer, choreographer, collaborator, supporter, and audience member who helped shape BODYTRAFFIC's legacy over the past two decades.”
BODYTRAFFIC was cofounded by Berkett and Barbeito during a time when to be a dancer in Los Angeles meant living at the intersection of commercial entertainment and freelance-based opportunities in a hustle-driven metropolis that had not yet claimed its place in the international contemporary dance scene. BODYTRAFFIC established a new framework and broke industry norms, becoming a model for sustainability, providing living wages, health insurance and physical therapy for its dancers, ensuring company members could thrive both on and off the stage.
It was one of the first Los Angeles–based companies to adopt the repertory company model similar to those of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. BODYTRAFFIC created a curated home for the world's great voices, commissioning icons including Kyle Abraham, Ohad Naharin, Hofesh Shechter, Victor Quijada, Arthur Pita, Fernando Hernando Magadan, and Micaela Taylor, therefore becoming a beacon of artistic versatility and excellence.
Both global and deeply rooted in Los Angeles, BODYTRAFFIC balanced 15 years of international touring with a steadfast commitment to its hometown of Los Angeles, performing at iconic L.A. venues including LACMA, Avalon Hollywood, Audrey Irmas Pavilion, Luckman Performing Arts Center, Skirball Cultural Center, The Broad Stage, The Getty Center, The Hollywood Bowl, The Music Center, The Soraya, Theatre Raymond Kabbaaz, REDCAT, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Bank of America Performing Arts Center, deepened its partnership with The Wallis, and established its home studios in Koreatown.
Videos
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The Most Happy Fella North Coast Repertory Theatre (6/03-6/28) |
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A Haunting Revue II Impro Theatre (6/06-6/26) |
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In the Blink of an Eye: A Musical Memoir The Pico (6/19-6/21) |
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Hunting the Irish Heiress Newport Theatre Arts Center (6/05-6/05) |
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Melt : The Play The Marilyn Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Institute (6/11-6/13) |
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MISS MAGNOLIA BEAUMONT GOES TO PROVINCETOWN Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Davidson/Valentini Theatre (6/17-6/28) |
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Eliza EGOTS The Stray (6/13-6/28) |
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The Seven Deadly Seas POP HQ (7/17-7/19) |
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A Role Playing Game The Hobgoblin Playhouse on Gardner (Main Stage) (6/08-6/28) |
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Three Days Grace, I Prevail & The Funeral Portrait SAP Center (11/18-11/18) |
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