June 25, 2021
La Roche University Performing Arts Chair and Alumni Debut Off-Broadway
PITTSBURGH, June 25, 2021 – One La Roche University student and five alumni made their Off-Broadway debut as company artists for Bodiography at the Jerry Orbach Theater in New York City on June 4.
Elektra Davis ’20, Carolina Giansante, Derrick Izumi ’20, Isaac Ray ’20, Renee Simeone ’20 and Kaylin Treese ’14 performed alongside Maria Caruso, chair of La Roche’s Performing Arts Department, founder of Bodiography, and CEO of M-Train Productions, in her latest dance revue, “Rearview Mirror.”
“Being in an Off-Broadway production has been absolute madness in the best way,” Ms. Davis, a Harmony native, said. “My favorite part of the show is performing in the piece ‘Physical.’ It is a super high-energy piece and always a crowd pleaser.”
“Rearview Mirror” takes the audience on a journey through the best sounds of the 1980s in a dance landscape that looks and feels like watching MTV for the first time. With vintage costumes selected to emanate musical artists and their music videos, “Rearview Mirror” transports audiences to another realm through powerful and entertaining performances.
“The artists in ‘Rearview Mirror’ have done an extraordinary job putting their knowledge from undergraduate study into action. Choosing them for the first eight weeks of the run, after reviewing hundreds of applications from Broadway’s brightest stars, offered evidence that La Roche’s dance program is among the strongest in the country,” Ms. Caruso said.
Remaining performances are scheduled for Fridays at 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5 p.m. through the end of July. Tickets can be purchased at rearviewmirrordance.com.
Modeled after the most elite collegiate dance programs in the country, La Roche’s performing arts program focuses on artistic and academic excellence. Under the instruction of Ms. Caruso, students become confident professionals and master numerous styles of dance. Students also receive full scholarships to take unlimited courses each year at Ms. Caruso’s renowned dance studio in Squirrel Hill.
Bodiography is a multi-faceted brand known for its commitment to health and wellness in the arts through dance performance, education, fitness, and therapeutic approaches utilizing movement studies. Bodiography® is a trademarked movement language created by Ms. Caruso that is utilized in the creation of all of Bodiography’s artistic and educational tools.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts university in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers 66 undergraduate programs of study, six master’s degrees and one doctoral degree, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential university provides a vibrant campus community for nearly 1,300 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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