When the lights come on the BodyTraffic ensemble of eight greets us as a gyrating clump. They dance in silence. Their hips move up into in graceful rolls. Their hands and fingers open and close reminding of big billed birds cracking jokes.
We are immediately mesmerized.
When the music starts it seems to unleash the ensemble— with duets, solos and more action spinning out as the score changes. It’s not one soundtrack but many. The first feels like the score of an oldie-time movie that was one of the first to break out of the silent film era. It is a recording of Rina Ketty in J’Attendrai.
Then another French composer— Michel Legrand— putting a jazz feel into the hall, followed by the classic Peter Gunn theme by Henri Mancini.
Then came the Latin flair of two other composers —Toña La Negra and Los Panchos.
This is Schachmatt — the German word for Checkmate by choreographer Cayetano Soto. In the pictures you see here are the costumes and set design of Soto’s imagination. But at this American Dance Festival performance, BodyTraffic Unplugged, there are no such frills.
We are not distracted by costumes or set, or at first even by music. Instead, much like the thrill one can get from a rock guitarist ‘s virtuosity when they unplug and leave amps out of the equation, we are electrified instead by the move-as-one cohesion of the ensemble. The music then propels the tightly synchronized group into variations— all showcasing considerable dancing prowess. Per the program notes, we sense the dance’s cinematic inspiration “…and Bob Fosse’s choreographic swagger.”
BODYTRAFFIC Farewell Tour Returns to Give American Dance Festival a Thank You
For those of us who had never seen BodyTraffic perform before , and who— like this writer— were absolutely smitten by this Schachmatt opener, the short onstage exchange between ADF Director and BodyTraffic founder and Artistic Director Tina Finkelman Berkett merited a gasp. We learned that this performance is a stop on BodyTraffic’s Thank You and Farewell tour. Berkett tearfully shared how she credits Jodee Nimerichter with BodyTraffic’s launch to national recognition.
Shout outs were done also for two of the ensemble performers with strong local roots— Chandler Davidson and Jordyn Santiago— though the many cheers from the crowd whenever these two took center stage made it clear they still had a loyal North Carolina fan base with no need for introduction.
BodyTraffic Unplugged also included Santiago’s debut as a choreographer, Coalescence— in the second work of the evening. It’s classic ballet meets House— and the program notes also describe it as a “..love letter to femininity, queerness, and community.”
The evening finale, Snap, set to James Brown music put thru a DJ’s scratching blender, seemed like a creation especially made to showcase Davidson’s ability to ripple his spine. Davidson is but one BodyTraffic dancer overflowing with physical grace, strength and obvious musicality.
BodyTraffic will be missed.
Coalescence photos by Guzman Rosado. All other photo credits as indicated.
Click here to read more Picture This Post American Dance Festival stories.
Read more American Dance Festival 2026 reviews here.
About the Author: Amy Munice
Amy Munice is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Publisher of Picture This Post. She covers books, dance, film, theater, music, museums and travel. Prior to founding Picture This Post, Amy was a freelance writer and global PR specialist for decades—writing and ghostwriting thousands of articles and promotional communications on a wide range of technical and not-so-technical topics.
