Shana Simmons Dance (SSD) presents A Toast to SSD, a brand new online gala event bringing folx together to celebrate dance and the holiday season. This virtual 1-hour event features a variety of artistic presentations, gathering people from all over the country to perform and support SSD and the Pittsburgh dance community. The event will premiere for free on YouTube at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10. A pre-show Zoom party will begin at 7:30 p.m., with a paparazzi-style feature of guests to kick off the event, guaranteed tunes to get you in the mood, a holiday cocktail demonstration to mix together, and funny interviews. Pre-registration will be required to attend this half hour portion.

A Toast to SSD will feature guest musical artists: Off-Broadway directors Griffin Matthews (Dear White People) & Matt Gould, Pittsburgh all-female ensemble Kamratōn, Point Park University musical theater performers singing from Kinky Boots, and a special “silent movie” piano performance from Sandy Ball along with performances both old and new from Shana Simmons Dance. This event is co-organized by Shana Simmons Dance company collaborator Jamie Erin Murphy.

“It is not just the continual creation of artwork that must exist during this time. It is the ‘events’ and gatherings of humans together that create a sense of unity through artwork. It is the interaction that occurs, the responses to the artwork that must be heard. In a way, it is not just the artwork that needs to exist, it is the uplifting of the audience voice that elevates the voice of the artform.” ~Shana Simmons