LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE: BODYTRAFFIC
DAZZLES AGAIN, THIS TIME AT THE JOYCE
Some performances linger in the body long after the curtain falls. I caught L.A. Dance Company BODYTRAFFIC at The Wallis in Beverly Hills last December and left the theater nearly giddy, unsure if I’d just witnessed lightning in a bottle. As luck would have it, the same 3-piece electric program—This Reminds Me of You—has made its way to New York’s Joyce Theater during my visit. Naturally, I had to return. Could it possibly strike twice?
It did—and then some.
With all New York premieres, the evening opens with Mayday, a joyful and unexpectedly haunting tribute to Buddy Holly choreographed by Trey McIntyre, creative partner of BODYTRAFFIC. Set to a jukebox of Holly’s hits—including “Peggy Sue,” “True Love Ways,” and “That’ll Be the Day”—this piece finds its groove in kinetic playfulness, blending rockabilly rhythms with contemporary movement. The eight dancers, costumed in vintage-cool midriff tops and Buddy’s signature horn-rimmed glasses (designed by Karen Young and built by Victoria Bek), tap out the beat on their bodies, echoing the percussive soul of Holly’s sound.
But Mayday is more than a nostalgic dance party. Woven into the charm is an undercurrent of loss—embodied by a small red toy airplane, a haunting reminder of Holly’s untimely death at 22. As it arcs across the stage, passed delicately from hand to hand, we’re reminded how joy and tragedy can coexist in a single breath. McIntyre’s work captures this paradox beautifully: life is brief, art is eternal, and sometimes the best way to grieve is to dance.
After intermission, the tone shifts in the second piece, I Forgot The Start, from Matthew Neenan. If Mayday is a spark, this is a slow-burning ember. Seven dancers in Márion Talán de la Rosa‘s magnificently sexy, gauzy material move through a dreamscape in muted beige where whimsy meets reflection. Set to a stunning collection of introspective songs—from Sufjan Stevens to Sinéad O’Connor—and gentle moving images of nature on an upstage screen (designed by Christopher Ash) there are moments of levity—frog hops, bird flutters, almost childlike gestures—but they’re counterbalanced by long, intimate duets and moments of stillness. This piece feels like an ode to resilience, to the quiet, sometimes clumsy ways we reach out to each other in the face of grief, longing, or simply the strange wonder of being alive. The movement flows like breath—fluid, necessary, and deeply felt.
The program closes with Incense Burning on a Saturday Morning: The Maestro, choreographed by Juel D. Lane with original music by Munir Zakee. Inspired by the vibrant, kinetic paintings of the great Ernie Barnes, whose The Sugar Shack appears on the credits of TV’s Good Times, this piece pulses with vitality. The eight dancers are behind a scrim, which represents the canvas that Barnes paints on. With Yee Eun Nam‘s inventive video design, and Jarrod Barnes’ primary-colored outfits—almost like fanciful aerobic wear—the piece reveals Barnes’ process as his characters come alive. From the first beat, we’re drawn into a lush, expressive world where line, rhythm, and soul collide. At the heart of it all is a figure in a yellow dress—elegant, elusive, magnetic—moving through the landscape like a spirit or muse. The ensemble work is layered and rich, seamlessly shifting between celebratory bursts and deeply introspective moments. Here, too, we see the duality of joy and sorrow, creation and destruction, art and the artist’s struggle.
Throughout the evening, BODYTRAFFIC’s ensemble proves itself once again to be among the most compelling in contemporary dance. Chandler Davidson, Katie Garcia, Pedro Garcia, Anaya Gonzalez, Alana Jones, Ty Morrison, Joan Rodriguez, and Jordan Santiago dance not just with precision, but with purpose. They are storytellers, dreamers, and athletes all at once.
This Reminds Me of You is more than a theme—it’s a feeling, a whisper, a jolt. These pieces don’t just explore memory; they awaken it. And BODYTRAFFIC, with their magnetic energy and emotional range, make you feel like you’re remembering something even if you’ve never lived it. That, in itself, is magic.
Dancers: Chandler Davidson, Donnie Duncan Jr, Katie García, Pedro Garcia, Anaya Gonzalez, Alana Jones, Joan Rodriguez, Jordyn Santiago
This Reminds Me of You
BODYTRAFFIC
The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave
ends on April 20, 2025
Tue-Sat at 7:30pm, Sat & Sun at 2pm
for tickets, visit The Joyce
