iHeartDance NYC is a new dance initiative and company founded by dance activists Melissa Gerstein and Kimberly Giannelli to celebrate the power of dance as a vehicle to make positive change in our local communities and beyond.

 

Jointly realized during the height of theater closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through innovation and sheer determination, iHeartDance kicked off its initiative with a 4-performance series on April 18th to welcome artists back into the spotlight, and an intimate audience to safely bring live dance back to the capital of the dance world: New York City.

 

 Over the last year, the pair has produced seventeen sold out performances, employed over 200 dancers and choreographers, raised significant funds, and welcomed live and virtual audiences across five countries. With COVID-19 cases declining and theaters reopened, the pair have continued their mission to use dance as a vehicle to make significant impact in the community. Most recently, iHeartDance NYC partnered with Ballet and Beyond NYC to raise funds for increased access to dance education in low-income communities and is proud to mobilize the power of the dance community to raise funds for Ukraine during this time of crisis. 

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All funds raised will benefit the Friend Fund: A Ukraine Wide Charity Foundation.

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