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Our County on Canvas: Fostering Local Artistry

“Tapestry in Motion” — A Ballet Extravaganza

By Dennis Phillips

Nov 7, 2023

The Armstrong County Arts Council invites you to join us in exploring the myriad shades of expression that define the arts in Armstrong County. Through this newspaper column, your local arts council strives to celebrate the spirit of our local artists, whose narratives are the strokes coloring the broader picture of our county’s artistic identity.


This Nov. 11, the Armstrong Junio-Senior High School auditorium will shimmer with the eloquence of ballet courtesy of Bodiography’s newest creation, “Tapestry in Motion”. Spearheaded by Maria Angelica Caruso, originally from Rural Valley, the ballet is a cornerstone of the much anticipated M-Train Outer-Burgh Tour, now gracing our town for its third consecutive year.


Maria Caruso, a name synonymous with the magic that unravels when storytelling meets choreography, has long envisioned the broader arts accessible beyond the bustling theaters of Pittsburgh — bringing a world of expressive arts to our doorstep here in Armstrong County.


“Tapestry in Motion” is not merely a ballet. It’s a narrative spun with grace, agility, and a profound understanding of the human spirit, portrayed by a diverse cadre of artists under Bodiography’s banner. It’s Maria’s homage to the regions that echo Pittsburgh’s vibrant yet often unseen artistic pulse.


Our very own Armstrong County is the chosen canvas for this ballet, a decision stemming from Maria’s earnest endeavor to foster meaningful partnerships that transcend the conventional theater halls, reaching the hearts of our youth and the local art community. We are thrilled that Caruso has selected local creators, makers, and artists to be interpreted through dance.


Her journey, marked by the critically lauded solo, “Metamorphosis” which graced the international stages from off-Broadway to London’s West End, now unfolds a new chapter right here. As Maria embarks on illuminating the lives touched by the lesser-told stories of our region, “Tapestry in Motion” emerges as a beacon of what’s possible when local narratives meet the finesse of ballet.


The Armstrong County Arts Council (ACAC) proudly sponsors this free performance. Your seat awaits reservation at www.Bodiography.com. The rendezvous of our community with a global ballet narrative is a testament to the boundless realms art can reach, and a glimpse of the many tapestries awaiting unraveling in the heart of Armstrong County.


As the curtains draw open this November, be there to witness the magic, the motion, and the message of “Tapestry in Motion.” It’s more than a ballet; it’s where our local heartbeat meets the eloquence of global storytelling.


Stay tuned for more updates, events, and artist features from the Armstrong County Arts Council, where creativity finds its home. As a solely public funded nonprofit organization, donations are always accepted. Please visit our website at www.armstrongcountyartscouncil.com for more details and ways you can help support the local arts. Your support illuminates the artistic spirit of Armstrong County.


Feel free to reach out to Donna Weckerly, the Executive Director, with any creative ideas or suggestions to bring arts and culture to every corner of our county. Email Donna at armstrongcountyartscouncil@gmail.com.


Donna Weckerly is executive director of Armstrong County Arts Council.




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