Versatility of Point Park's Jazz Program Prepares Ahmad Simmons for Broadway and Beyond
Meet Ahmad Simmons '10
- Major/Program
- Dance (jazz)
- Hometown
- Fort Worth, Texas
- High School
- Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts
"I am so lucky to have had the foundation of Point Park's dance training. It has allowed me to thrive in so many areas of the arts industry and continues to keep me relevant as a performer."
How did your Point Park University experience prepare you for your career?
I am so lucky to have had the foundation of Point Park's dance training. It has allowed me to thrive in so many areas of the arts industry as a performer from stage to screen — and now on the other side of the table.
What is one of the most important lessons you learned at Point Park?
The greatest thing I learned from the program is how to stay valuable in a career that is always changing. I tell students everywhere I go that you have to have an unshakable base of technique and an undeniable sense of self, style and individuality, all of which were embedded in me throughout my four inspiring years at Point Park.
Who inspired you at Point Park?
I carry the lessons of my teachers Jason McDole, Kiesha Lalama, Doug Bentz and Judith Leifer-Bentz everyday. They are gems. They prepared me for this crazy thing called life as an artist.
Highlight your career path as an artist.
Dance Companies
Broadway
- CATS, Carousel, Hadestown OBC and West Side Story
Off-Broadway
- Only Gold (MCC Theater), A Chorus Line (New York City Center)
Film/TV
- ABC's remake of Dirty Dancing, Ben Vereen in Fosse/Verdon on FX, Better Nate Than Never on Disney+ and Maestro on Netflix
Recent Work
Most recently, I performed in the premiere of the new Justin Peck/Sufjan Stevens show Illinois at the Fisher Center at Bard College. We're slated to perform at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in January 2024.
Additionally, I am an artist in the 2023-24 Petri Projects leading the development of a play with dance entitled Bubbles and Gershwin. I'm the co-founder of and producer for a NYC-based production company called Arterial Projects.
Why would you recommend Point Park to a prospective student?
Take advantage of the opportunity you have to concentrate solely on your craft. Train with rigor — with passionate faculty in world-class studios and engage with the diverse community of artists around you. To me, that is key. Point Park University prepares you to be able to work and create alongside the best of the best — worldwide.
What advice do you have for a student auditioning for Point Park?
Go in confident in what you know, but curious about what you don't. Don't forget to wear yourself because no one else wears you the way you wear you. Go in with ALL of that.
Connect with Ahmad Simmons '10
More About: dance, alumni, faculty, success story, jazz, Conservatory Alumni, Conservatory of Performing Arts, Dance Alumni