BodyTraffic, long considered one of Los Angeles’s most vital contemporary dance companies, will shut down this summer after a 20-year run, closing its doors when artistic director Tina Finkelman Berkett steps away. The company is planning what it calls an intentional “sunset” at the end of the current season, capped by a short national farewell tour.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Berkett described the fundraising grind of running the company as “amongst the hardest parts of my life,” and said stepping back felt necessary after two decades at the helm. The outlet reports the announcement followed months of talks between Berkett and the board about whether any successor structure could realistically match her blend of artistic vision and fundraising drive.
Final L.A. Dates And Season Listings
BodyTraffic’s last Los Angeles engagement is set for June 4–6 at The Wallis in Beverly Hills, where the company will perform Trey McIntyre’s Ma Maison with live music by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, according to The Wallis and the company’s season page. The troupe’s public calendar still shows spring and summer dates with presenters around the country, underscoring an orderly wind-down rather than an abrupt shutdown.
Board Rationale, Farewell Tour, and Dancer Support
The board told the paper it could not find a way to replace Berkett’s unique combination of artistic leadership and fundraising hustle, and decided the responsible move was to “close strong” with a final national “tour of thanks,” the Los Angeles Times reports. The story notes the company plans to help its dancers transition into new jobs, and that with investment from board president Gillian Wynn, BodyTraffic had been one of the rare Los Angeles companies able to offer performers living wages, health insurance, and physical therapy.
Berkett told the outlet she intends to “savor these five months” as the company finishes its final season.
Funding, Talent, And A Puzzling Paradox
The closure decision lands even in the wake of a high-profile, multi-year operating grant from the Perenchio Foundation that was announced in the fall of 2024. Industry coverage reported the award at roughly $1 million and framed it as a major investment in BodyTraffic’s Los Angeles work, according to BroadwayWorld. Reporting also noted that the company had recently brought on Trey McIntyre as a creative partner and Lucinda Lent as an executive consultant in an effort to grow and stabilize programming.
What This Means Locally
For Los Angeles audiences and presenters, BodyTraffic’s planned shutdown removes a repertory-minded, homegrown company that helped boost the city’s contemporary dance profile. Over two decades, the troupe commissioned major choreographers, built community partnerships, and developed a home-season model that regularly brought repertory work to local stages. Those pieces of the ecosystem are now gaps that presenters, educators, and other companies will need to navigate as they plan future seasons.
For anyone hoping to catch BodyTraffic before the curtain comes down, current ticket listings include the June engagement at The Wallis and other spring performances on the company’s season calendar. Check The Wallis or the company’s schedule for dates and availability.
