SMCDT X SHU Dance

SMCDT x SHU Dance was a three-day professional dance residency presented by The Academy at Westmoreland Cultural Trust in partnership with Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theatre and Seton Hill University Dance.

This project was made possible through the generous support of The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, which awarded The Academy a $20,000 grant to bring this professional residency experience to life. The funding supported a shared vision of expanding access to high-quality, industry-aligned performing arts education for tudents, artists, and community members throughout Westmoreland County.

Over the course of three days, artists from Social Movement Contemporary Dance Theatre, or SMCDT, worked alongside Seton Hill University Dance students and community participants for an immersive experience rooted in contemporary dance training, creative process, professional collaboration, and performance. Participants engaged in masterclasses, rehearsals, discussions, and creative exploration with a nationally recognized contemporary dance company, gaining direct access to working professional artists and the expectations of a professional dance environment.

Led by Artistic Director Elijah Alhadji Gibson, SMCDT brought its distinctive artistic voice to the region, inviting dancers to explore movement as a tool for storytelling, connection, and creative reflection. Through masterclasses and collaborative rehearsals, participants developed their technical and artistic skills while experiencing the rigor, focus, and generosity required in a professional rehearsal room.

A central part of SMCDT x SHU Dance was the partnership with Seton Hill University Dance, which provided an essential educational and creative home for the residency. Seton Hill students had the opportunity to train with SMCDT artists, participate in the rehearsal process, and share in a culminating performance experience that celebrated the power of collaboration between professional artists, higher education, and community-based arts programming.

The residency concluded with a free culminating performance at the Seton Hill University Performing Arts Center, where audiences experienced the work shared and developed throughout the residency. This final showing brought together students, artists, educators, families, and community members in celebration of dance, education, and artistic exchange.

Through this grant-funded initiative, The Academy at Westmoreland Cultural Trust continued its mission to build purposeful partnerships, create access to professional-level arts experiences, and strengthen the region’s creative ecosystem. SMCDT x SHU Dance demonstrated what is possible when community investment, educational institutions, and professional artists come together in service of opportunity, artistry, and connection.

Photography by: Doug Estok at Pittsburgh Performance Photography