By Steve Sucato

While the COVID-19 Global Pandemic might have temporarily derailed some plans and performances, the M-Train barrels on, says Pittsburgh’s Maria Caruso. The founder and artistic director of a burgeoning dance empire that includes five performance troupes, health, fitness and education arms, and a soon-to-be presenting arm and arts magazine, Caruso is continuing to put her stamp on the dance world and that world is taking notice.

Says Caruso, “We began 2020 with a fabulous collaboration with the renowned Buglisi Dance Theatre and an opportunity to showcase the work of esteemed female choreographers, Jacqulyn Buglisi, Virginie Mecene, and Ze’eva Cohen at the Byham Theater. Just a few weeks later, I had the great fortune of performing my solo work, Metamorphosis, to a sold out audience in a new space in Pittsburgh that led to the reveal of some very big news for Bodiography.”

The big news included the unveiling of a new expansion project and future “Movement Factory” on the North Shore of Pittsburgh with three new studios, a convertible theater and student/artist housing. The new space will also be home to Caruso’s new production company, M-Train Productions and my publication, The Arts Inclusive, launching in 2021. The new Movement Factory will join the Bodiography Center for Movement in Squirrel Hill as the bases of the Caruso empire.

Additionally, Caruso’s 80’s dance revue, Rearview Mirror, is tentatively slated for an off-Broadway run at St Luke’s Theater in the summer of 2020 pending developments with the global pandemic.

A newly expanded empire demand a new website to lay it all out and Caruso and company just launched one at bodiography.com. Visit to learn more about Caruso and Bodiography.

Here is a look at Bodiography and La Roche University 2020-2021 Season Calendar:

• Karmiel Dance Festival Presents Maria Caruso; Karmiel, Israel, June 30, 2020 – July 2, 2020 – TBD COVID-19
• Bermuda Civic Ballet Presents Maria Caruso; Hamilton, Bermuda, July 5-11, 2020 – TBD COVID-19
• La Roche University Presents BD Blaq Dance; Pittsburgh, PA, September 25, 2020 – TBD COVID-19, A free concert on La Roche’s campus showcasing with work of London’s most celebrated hip-hop/tap fusion company.
• Butler Community College Presents Bodiography in Residence; Butler, PA
  September 26, 2020, Bodiography and BCB2 Perform a mixed repertoire concert with new work by Maria Caruso for local student dancers.
• La Roche University Presents Bodiography’s Multiplicity; Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, November 12-14, 2020, All facets of Bodiography unite as BCB, BCB2, BCB3, and BCB Charlotte share the stage with guest artists and choreographers.
• Bodiography Center for Movement Presents The Nutcracker; La Roche University’s Motherhouse Theater and Bodiography Center for Movement, Pittsburgh, PA, December 4-6, 2020, La Roche majors and Bodiography Student Company dancers perform the Nutcracker with interactive opportunities for children.
• Bodiography Presents Breaking Boundaries; Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA,
  February 5-6, 2021, Bodiography welcomes Brazil’s renowned contemporary ballet company, Cisne Negro, to share the stage with Bodiography as artistic
  directors, Maria Caruso and Dany Bittencourt, create premiere works for each other’s dancers.
• The Avenel Performing Arts Center Presents Maria Caruso’s Rearview Mirror;
  Woodbridge, NJ, February 26-28, 2021, Bodiography takes the stage for the second time to perform Caruso’s energetic 80’s dance revue.
• Bodiography Presents The European Tour; March 4-14, 2021
• Charlotte Dance Festival Presents Bodiography; Charlotte, NC
  March 2021 – TBA, Caruso’s work Fractured and Rebuilt is performed by the company as part of the festival.
• Bodiography Presents The Spring Gala; Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, May 1, 2021, La Roche Dance majors perform classical and contemporary works by a variety of renowned guests.
• Bodiography Center for Movement Presents The Spring Concert; Byham Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, June, 12, 2021, Bodiography Center for Movement’s brightest stars take on the Byham Stage for an evening of classical and contemporary works for students in Level 1 through the College Preparatory Program.

Steve Sucato is a former dancer turned arts writer/critic. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Dance Critics Association and Associate Editor of ExploreDance.com.