COCKTAIL PARTY
Season Launch Fundraising Event
We’ll kick-off our 2024 programming on Thursday, August 8 with a season launch fundraising event featuring signature cocktails conceived by Jacob Martin (2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year) and served by James Grant (2021 World Class Bartender of the Year), plus live music and special performances by TFD-affiliated artists!
Join us on the 8th day of the 8th month, for this infinity-themed ∞ night to remember - helping to propel our grassroots work towards a sustainable future!
You’re warmly invited to attend! We are looking forward to welcoming you!
Tickets range from $100-$175 with non-alcoholic and VIP options. A limited number of discounted Arts Worker tickets ($30) and Alumni/Artist tickets (please contact us!) are also available! Note: this is a 19+ event.
Listen to the below video messages from David and Chantelle, TFD’s Co-Directors, to learn about why we’re hosting this fundraiser!
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About James Grant: A 10-year veteran of the service industry with numerous award-winning bars and bartending competition wins under his belt, James Grant has a deep love for creating engaging and high-level bar and beverage programs. Named the Diageo World Class Global bartender of the year for 2021, James has a strong understanding of how to build cocktail programs at the highest level, and how to train bar teams to execute drinks and cocktail service in a way that provides incredibly memorable experiences for guests. He is currently the Director of Mixology at the Fairmont Royal York.
About Jacob Martin: “I am the son of two contemporary dancers turned scientists, born and raised protestant to be an opera singer in North York. Skip forward a few years and I fell in love with a girl at a cheese counter named Dianna that would set my life down a culinary tailspin. While I would eventually attend Queens/UofT for food history and Psychology, my passion for working with products and people pulled me back into the industry. Before long, I had my own specialty teams, cheese catering business, and was opening cheese counters around Ontario. After I hit 10,000hrs in the cheese industry I was admitted as one of the youngest members of the American Cheese Society, and graduated as the youngest American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional in North America. My transition to bartending was more or less by accident. Wholefoods was purchased by Amazon, and I lost the majority of my specialty products overnight as the company was consolidated into a more corporate model. All of the sudden I lost my autonomy to do my life’s work and I left a few weeks later to start a cheese programme at an up and coming restaurant called Hexagon. While pushing my cheese cart around a marble clad dining room I saw this guy, Jared Boller, mixing magic and I was star struck. I never saw someone so fast and so professional who just had this natural charisma. Right away I gave up the cheese life and followed him headfirst into some of the best bars in the city. Over three years I traveled around the world working in the bars and restaurants of my dreams, only to return to Toronto 2 years ago and open up Bar Pompette with Maxime Hoerth and Hugo Togni, who in my opinion are the very best bartenders in the Toronto game right now. They gave me the tools to find a level I didn’t know was possible and that’s what I brought to the competition. Now you can find me doing my own thing at Bar Banane but I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people who trained me along the way. “
You can read this feature on Jacob in Vita Magazine to learn more about his story!
Jacob was recently recognized by industry legends as the 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year, at the world’s biggest cocktail festival. Learn more here.
Jacob will be creating a unique signature cocktail for TFD’s Infinity Cocktail Party, including an alcoholic and non-alcoholic option!
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The John McKenzie House, a three-storey brick structure has a long and rich history and is currently home to the Ontario Historical Society.
It is located on the traditional land of the Wendat, the Seneca, Haudenosaunee and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. This area, now included within the boundaries of Toronto, is covered by Treaty 13.
The John McKenzie House was constructed in 1913 as the second Willowdale home of a pioneer family. The house is located on property deeded to Jacob Cummer in 1801. In 1884, a portion of the original property was sold to Philip McKenzie (John’s father) who was an English settler trained as a carpenter and casket maker.
Built in a style which has been described as Queen Anne Revival, Arts and Crafts, and Edwardian, this red brick house contains 12 rooms and 3 bathrooms. The front of the house is profiled by a grand L-shaped, wrap-around verandah with stylized Doric columns.
The Infinity Cocktail Party will take place in the house’s beautiful backyard (weather permitting).
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TFD’s 2024 Infinity Party will feature artists involved in Cohort #2 of our Process+Practice residency program; two short dance performances and a set of live jazz music!
Kiera Breaugh is a dancer/choreographer whose style lives at the intersection of contemporary and hip hop. She holds a BA in Dance from LMU in Los Angeles. While in LA, she was a member of LA dance companies: the Young Lions, Immabeast, Immabreathe and MashUp Contemporary Dance Company. She has performed in Dance Matters, A Woman's Work, the Toronto Fringe Festival, the Orlando Fringe Festival, the Vancouver Fringe Festival and Dusk Dances, Hamilton. Kiera has choreographed for PRESENCE, a site specific series commissioned by Peggy Baker Dance Projects, ProArteDanza in their Choreolab, and an original piece during the half-time of a Raptors Game. She has worked with and danced for artists including Ian Eastwood, Brian Friedman, Janelle Ginestra, Kylie Thompson, Mary Ann Chavez and Monika Felice Smith. Kiera’s work often explores themes such as racial identity, female upward mobility, and other ideas that aim to empower the unheard.
Veronica Simpson is a dancer and theatre artist based in Toronto. Performance credits include projects with Dorrance Dance, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Rhythm and Sound, (in)sight dance, Dianne Montgomery at Fall For Dance North, Michelle Dorrance at New York City Center, and Danny Nielsen’s 2023 tour of On Foot. In 2021, Veronica attended the School at Jacob’s Pillow as part of the Tap Dance Performance Ensemble. Veronica is also co-founder of the tap dance collective Boys’ Club, which has been selected for national and international residencies and performances. Veronica continues her freelance and creation work in Toronto and travels regularly to New York City to study with and work alongside prominent tap dancers.
Alexa Belgrave, a Pianist/Composer/Educator, has been an active member of Toronto’s music community for almost a decade. Upon completing her ARCT and a degree in jazz piano studies from UofT, Alexa has created and collaborated with multiple projects spanning across diverse genres and mediums. As a musical director, she has worked with Dance Immersion, Nightwood Theatre, Bad Hats Theatre, Musical StageCo, Obsidian and more. Alexa currently teaches at Sheridan College and Mayfield Secondary School of the Arts, freelances in various musical roles and is excited about her group Moodset’s recent album release 'Let's Talk' from March 2024!
Ale Avery Nunez, a 22 year old Canadian vocalist, songwriter and band-leader based in Toronto, has exploded onto the Jazz scene, where you can see her perform regularly at places like The Jazz Bistro, Drom Taberna and The Emmet Ray in Toronto as well as Manhattans in Guelph to name a few. Her voice is uniquely her own yet reminiscent of artists such as Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughan and Julie London. When she is not gigging, she is pursuing her Bachelor of Music Degree at Humber College and had the honour of performing at Humber's 50th Anniversary Celebration. In July 2023, she was named "Artist of the Year" by the TU Jazz Festival and placed first in the Doc Awards” as part of the 2022 Etobicoke Jazz Festival. Ale is excited to be recording original music this year.
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V.I.P Ticket and Package ($175.00 per ticket) - includes signature alcohol-based cocktail created by the 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year - Jacob Martin, two complimentary tickets for TFD's Process+Practice Double Bill performance (Nov 2024), and recognition as an Infinity Supporter on our website and performance programs. Click here to purchase a VIP ticket!
Regular Ticket Package ($150.00 per ticket) - includes signature alcohol-based cocktail created by the 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year - Jacob Martin, and recognition as an Infinity Supporter on our website and performance programs. Click here to purchase a Regular Ticket!
Regular Ticket Package (non-alcohol drink- $100.00 per ticket) - includes signature non-alcohol-based cocktail created by the 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year - Jacob Martin, and recognition as an Infinity Supporter on our website and performance programs. Click here to purchase a Regular Non-Alcoholic Ticket and use code MOCKTAIL at checkout!
Company Ticket Package ($500.00 per ticket package) - 4 staff members from the same company/organization - includes signature alcohol-based cocktail created by the 2023 World Class Global Bartender of the Year - Jacob Martin, and recognition as an Infinity Supporter on our website and performance programs. Click here to purchase a Company Package!
Arts Worker Ticket ($30.00 per ticket) - Limited tickets available for working artists - 1 per person. Click here to purchase an Arts Worker ticket!
All prices include HST.
Additional drinks including cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options will be available for purchase. Small appetizers will be served (included).
To register and purchase tickets, please fill out this form and send an e-transfer to david@toesfordance.ca !
Ticket Purchase Links
We have set up easier ticket purchase links on this webstore based on feedback from our awesome community! You can now register and use a credit card to pay for your tickets, using the links provided below.
Everyone who reserved/purchased tickets using the previous Google Form method - your tickets are still valid and confirmed. If you cannot use a credit card for payment, we can also accept e-transfer payments. Please email us if you’d like to arrange an alternative payment option!
To purchase multiple tickets, add your first ticket to the cart and then return to this Infinity Party event page to repeat the process for the additional tickets. Tickets will remain in your cart.
TFD’s Infinity Cocktail Party is made possible with the support of the Ontario Historical Society. Gratitude shout-out to the Willowdale Central Ratepayers Association and the WCRA Arts Collective for helping us make the connection!
We extend immense thanks to Belleterre Community Partners for generously sponsoring the venue for this event! A registered non-profit organization, Belleterre Community Partners is dedicated to enacting positive change throughout our communities. Through a precise, thoughtful combination of low-impact, sustainable building practices, practical redevelopment strategies, and mindful city planning, Belleterre strives to identify communities in need of support and provide them with affordable housing opportunities. You can learn more about their awesome work here.
Interested in sponsoring TFD’s 2024 Infinity Cocktail Party? Click here to download our sponsorship package and reach out via email!
Jacob Martin, 2023 World Class Bartender of the Year. Photo courtesy of World Class, Sponsored by DIAGEO.
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