The historic Fairmount Water Works will become a stage later this month as West Philadelphia–based dance company The Naked Stark brings its newest site-specific work to the banks of the Schuylkill. ‘Bodies of Water,’ part of the 2025 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, will unfold on Sept. 27 from 1 to 3 p.m. inside the Water Works Interpretive Center.
The two-hour program invites audiences to explore the relationship between people and water through movement, film, and guided tours of the landmark site. Visitors will gather in the former Kelly Pool—once an indoor swimming facility, now a mosaic of memory and architecture—to witness dance inspired by the river’s ebb and flow. A reception with the artists will close the event.
Co-created by Amalia Colón-Nava, Chloe Marie, Harlee Trautman, Katherine Kiefer Stark, Marcie Mamura, and Meredith Stapleton, ‘Bodies of Water’ reflects the performers’ individual and collective relationships to water.
“We are at once streams flowing together and humans making space for each other, carrying and being carried along, discovering the power and possibilities that emerge when we come together,” the artists said in a statement.
The Naked Stark is known for immersive, up-close performances that invite audiences of all ages to engage with dance beyond the traditional stage. Past site-responsive works have been staged everywhere from Clark Park to Icebox Project Space.
Fairmount Water Works itself adds another layer of history to the event. Once a pumping station, aquarium, and public pool, the site now serves as Philadelphia’s official watershed education center. Its legacy of water use and preservation provides the backdrop for a performance dedicated to flow, connection, and resilience.
Admission to ‘Bodies of Water’ is free, though advance reservations are recommended. More information can be found at thenakedstark.com and fairmountwaterworks.org.
