Conversations with Maria Angelica Caruso

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Angelica Caruso

Maria Angelica, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey as an artist has been shaped by a deep love for dance and a passion for connecting art with wellness, education, and community. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, dance became a source of solace, eventually leading me to formal training at Florida State University, where I embraced a wide range of dance genres. This set the foundation for my career, and I later expanded my knowledge with graduate studies in Professional Leadership at Carlow University, focusing on non-profit management.

As the founder of Bodiography, I’ve built a diverse enterprise that spans performance, fitness, and dance therapy, all while leading four companies and a dance conservatory. My solo work Metamorphosis, which ran in London’s West End in 2022, explored themes of transformation and is now streaming on Amazon Prime. This success inspired my latest piece, Incarnation, which will premiere at the Royal Drury Lane Theatre in October 2024. Incarnation delves into resilience and the power of choice, and its deeply personal story has been shaped by the many experiences that I have had in my life.

Alongside my stage work, I’ve embraced acting and production, founding RAE Films and En Pointe Productions in 2023. These ventures allow me to explore new ways of storytelling, combining my love for the arts with diverse content creation.

My career continues to be driven by a commitment to using art as a force for good—whether through performance, fitness, or my work with communities. As I prepare for Incarnation’s debut, I’m excited to share this next chapter with audiences and to keep inspiring positive change through my art.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been anything but easy. My journey has been filled with challenges and obstacles, often requiring me to disrupt the status quo in order to make meaningful change. Every accomplishment I’ve achieved has come through some of my greatest failures. In those moments, when I faced rejection or felt dismissed by my peers and community, it was hard not to question my worth. There were times I wanted to quit, feeling the weight of constantly having to prove myself.

However, something deep inside always pushed me forward. Perseverance and passion have been my driving forces, helping me move past the hurt and continue on this path. Each setback became an opportunity to grow, and every challenge, though difficult, ultimately made me stronger. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but the obstacles have shaped who I am today and fueled my commitment to my work.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a choreographer, performer, entrepreneur, and social activist deeply involved in blending the worlds of dance, fitness, and education through my company, Bodiography and my solo creations. My work spans four performance companies, a dance conservatory, and a fitness program, with a strong focus on using dance as a tool for wellness and community empowerment. I’m also active in film and television production and have used this influence to shape my latest solo work, “Incarnation.”

“Incarnation” presents a dynamic and compelling narrative about humanity’s power to choose light and love in the face of adversity. Through my performance, I work to emphasize the profound impact of individual choices on our collective journey. Bad things happen to good people all of the time, but we innately have the power to choose our path beyond circumstance. We are often crippled by negativity that devalues our self-worth, essential becoming victims to ourselves. This story is about changing that narrative, and I am thrilled to have performed “Incarnation” in the West End this past October.

My work, in its many facets, is about making positive change in the world. I’m most proud of how the impact of my work has shaped the people around me. Many have seen my work as an empowering influence and chosen to carry it forward in their own unique way. This is what truly sets me apart—measuring success not by accolades, but by the legacy I’m building through others. My goal is to create something lasting, something that continues to grow and inspire long after I’m gone, and that, to me, is the greatest achievement of all.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck—I believe in following the light. Both good and bad things have happened in my life, as they do for everyone, but what truly matters is how I’ve chosen to respond to those moments. It’s the choices we make in the face of adversity or opportunity that shape our path. For me, it’s never been about luck but about the decisions I’ve made, the perseverance I’ve shown, and the way I’ve allowed those experiences to fuel my growth. I believe in the power of choices, and that’s what has changed the trajectory of my life and business.

Contact Info:

• Website:  www.metamorphosismac.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metamorphosismac
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MariaCarusoMetamorphosis
• Twitter: @carusomtrain
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX77laKPS20
• Other: https://www.bodiography.com

Image Credits
Photos by Simon Hunt