Gerson Lanza, the world renowned tap dancer, choreographer and educator brings his acclaimed show “To Dance Means To Be Free,” that fuses the performing arts and advocacy, to The City College of New York, May 14 -15. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m. in CCNY’s Aaron Davis Hall, located at 129 Convent Ave., and West 135th Street in Manhattan.
The two-night event is presented by CCNY’s Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts (LDCPA) and largely funded by the CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI). Click here for tickets.
Through tap dance, live music, and spoken word, Lanza creates a compelling journey through the intersecting themes of race, ethnicity, and immigration. An immersive dance performance that celebrates the essence of authenticity in rhythm, “To Dance Means To Be Free” combines art and advocacy to foster a deeper understanding of the multifaceted tapestry of Blackness and American society at large.
About Gerson Lanza
Originally from La Ceiba, Honduras, Gerson Lanza first encountered the art form of tap dance after moving to New York City in 2001. He immediately fell in love with the art after his first encounter. Lanza began training at Wadleigh School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the Harlem School of the Arts. With Music From The Sole, led by Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson, he has participated in residencies at Lincoln Center, Jacob’s Pillow, Works & Process at The Guggenheim, and Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center. In his own right he has been featured as a Strathmore College Amplify Artist and Artist-in-Residence, featured in “Artist at the Center” at New York City Center, curated by Ayodele Casel, which landed his first New York Times review for his choreographic work, and lastly headlined the Millennium Stage with his jazz quintet at The Kennedy Center. Read more.
About the CUNY Dance Initiative
The CUNY Dance Initiative is a program developed in response to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s 2010 report, “We Make Do,” which cited how destabilizing the shortage of affordable rehearsal space in New York City is to the dance sector. A successful pilot supporting residencies on four CUNY campuses in 2013 led to CDI’s formal launch in 2014. Since then, CDI has become a key player in New York City’s performing arts ecosystem, leading a consortium of 14 CUNY colleges and four arts organizations to host 20+ residencies for NYC choreographers and dance companies each year. In the past 11 years, CDI has granted 275 residencies to emerging and established choreographers, providing invaluable resources to artists, while enhancing CUNY students’ education and cultural experiences.
CDI receives major support from The Mertz Gilmore Foundation and the Howard Gilman Foundation. Additional support is provided by the SHS Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture program, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. CDI is spearheaded by The Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College.
About the Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts
Located on the CCNY campus, the Davis Center serves as a cultural hub that builds a sense of community both within the school and its surrounding neighborhood, while inspiring creativity and diversity. It also provides a premier venue for local and national performers and for art patrons in the tri-state area.
For more information about Gerson Lanza’s performance or the Davis Center, please contact Gregory Shanck at
[email protected]
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About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Lightcast puts at $3.2 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers, and society. At City College, more than 16,500 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity, and scholarship. In 2023, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together,” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College's mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic, and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Jay Mwamba
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