Join Danielle Levsky for an intimate evening exploring the lives and artistic communities of women inspired by Sappho's legacy. We'll share selected readings from Selby Wynn Schwartz's captivating novel "After Sappho," which brings together the stories of artists like Natalie Barney, Renée Vivien, Lina Poletti, and other women artists, feminists, writers, actors, networked across Europe and the US, who created radical spaces of creativity, romance, and community for “AFAB, non-binary, and trans bodies united in love”, as reviewer Alana Colvin wrote.

We'll be meeting twice to explore different groups of artists. Participants are invited to bring favorite pieces—poems, excerpts, images, music, or personal reflections—connected to the specific artists we'll be focusing on for each date. You don't need to read the book ahead of time; passage scans will be provided at each meeting. Come prepared to share art by or discussions about these incredible figures as we collectively explore their stories.

Here are the Sapphic artists we'll be reading about on our two meeting dates:

Wednesday, July 2, 7 pm doors and mingling, 8-10pm discussion: Discussing passages and sharing art about Rina Faccio Pierangeli, Lina Poletti, Renée Vivien, Radclyffe Hall. Register here.

Sunday, July 13, 2 pm doors and mingling, 3-5pm discussion: Discussing passages and sharing art about Virginia Woolf, Sarah Bernhardt, Natalie Barney, Eleonora Duse. Register here.

This gathering serves as initial research for a larger immersive performance project Dani is developing that translates historical research into embodied practice. The evening will help inform what will eventually become a full immersive experience combining performance, movement, soundscape, and audience participation—creating a modern-day salon inspired by the stories of these incredible artists.

This project ultimately aims to challenge dominant historical narratives and center queer, trans, and feminist artistic practices. Tonight's intimate format allows us to begin this exploration together, testing ideas and building community around these powerful stories.

Note: The current working title for the full theatrical project this will lead to is "Sappho's Salon."