Join Shut Up And Dance Benefit For MANNA

MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) delivers care and hope by nourishing people at acute nutritional risk due to a life-threatening illness in the Delaware Valley.

The performance will be hosted by 88.5 WXPN Morning Show personality, Michaela Majoun. Reserved tickets to Shut Up & Dance range from $35-$175 and include an after-party at PURE Nightclub with the dancers. Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 215-496-2662 x.138, online at www.mannapa.org, or in person at MANNA (12 S. 23rd Street).

Created sixteen years ago by dancers of Pennsylvania Ballet, Shut Up & Dance originated out of a desire to pay homage to friends and loved ones lost to the AIDS epidemic and support those in the daily service to the community, such as MANNA. Over the years Shut Up & Dance has without fail served the audience by kindling the flame of remembrance. In its inception were a series of discussions as to who, how and what the fundraiser should entail, legend has it one dancer finally remarked, "Let's just Shut Up & Dance."

MANNA continues to be in the forefront of the dancers benefit efforts to help the organization serve more clients with their expanded mission, regardless of their medical condition. 'The dancers of the Pennsylvania Ballet are again thrilled to be presenting such an exciting evening of dance for such a worthy organization" said Jonathan Stiles this year's Producing Director. "For the past sixteen years, many, many dancers have worked tirelessly to make Shut Up & Dance what it is today, and we look forward making sure it continues to grow and thrive."

The performance attracts a loyal following each year and is almost always a sellout. Shut Up & Dance is especially unique in that it is an opportunity for the dancers to choreograph their own pieces. Choreographers responsible for this year's inspiring production include Francis Veyette, Ian Hussey, Hawley Rowe, Sarah Hay, and Lauren Brown. New to Shut Up & Dance this year is choreographer Braham Logan Crane, the founder of the critically acclaimed Philadelphia based ASH Dance Company. Also included in this line-up of choreographers is former company member Meredith Rainey, co-director of BalletX. "A highlight of my career is to have choreographed and danced in Shut Up & Dance since its inception in 1993. My hope for this event has always been to make people feel because if you can feel something, then you can care about something," said Rainey. -- www.paballet.org