Choreographer Stephen Petronio burst onto the scene in the early 1980’s capturing the zeitgeist of a pivotal period in our shared history, when AIDS was decimating gay communities and the world remained unresponsive. Petronio (working title) is a short documentary inspired by Stephen’s memoir, Confessions of a Motion Addict, and its overlapping themes of identity, queerness, Stephen’s worldview and his “pent-up” need to move, all of which shaped his singular approach to dance-making.
Now after 40 years, Stephen is closing his company. We catch up with him as he rehearses his dancers for their final performances at Jacob’s Pillow and he prepares to step into the next phase of his creative life. Telling Stephen’s story now couldn’t be timelier. With the surging backlash against LGBTQ rights here and abroad, we reach into the past to help find a path forward. Stephen’s story lights the way ahead — and at the same time reveals how an artist’s soul and life transmute into movement.