The 24th Annual Shut Up & Dance benefit performance on April 9 still has us talking, as it is one of our favorite events of the year! Featuring never-before-seen original choreography presented by Pennsylvania Ballet dancers, Shut Up & Dance benefits MANNA, a nonprofit that prepares and delivers nourishing meals to close to 1,110 clients a year who are battling life-threatening diseases.
The night kicked off with a VIP party at The Forrest Theatre with host Steven Korman, where cocktails, prosecco and hors d’oeuvres were provided by sponsors DiBruno Bros and Lamarca. The show began promptly at 8 PM with host, Miss Martha Graham Cracker, who The Philadelphia Inquirer has referred to as “the high queen supreme of the theatre drag community.”
Of all the breathtaking performances, our favorite performances of the night were:
Fourth performance: (IN)FORMATION, performed by 11 dancers to Formation by Beyonce and FML/FADE by Kanye West, choreographed by Thomas White. This performance had us singing and dancing in our seats, as if we were the performers!
Last performance before intermission: JUNK- Excerpt from “Carried Away,” which was similar to a scene out of the movie, Magic Mike, as it was performed by four shirtless men dancing in and around four chairs. JUNK was choreographed by Brian Sanders with music by Peter Brown. Ladies, the dancers of JUNK will be performing in September at The Philadelphia Fringe Festival– you won’t want to miss it!
Last performance: DYING SWAN, beautifully performed by dancer Kelsey Hellebuyck and choreographed by Marius Petipa. The performance took our breath away and was the perfect way to end the night!
After the show, attendees were welcome to celebrate the night with the dancers and DJ Robert Drake at Voyeur Nightclub, a sponsor of Shut Up & Dance.
With 1,200 tickets sold, this one-night benefit performance raised more than $150,000 dollars for MANNA clients! What a successful night! If you’re interested in making a donation to MANNA, click here.
Did you attend this year’s Shut Up & Dance event? If so, share your photos using the hashtag #ShutUpAndDance and let us know what you thought!
