Michela Marino Lerman

Michela Marino Lerman is a celebrated tap dance artist, musician, improviser, choreographer, and educator, celebrated for her dynamic performances and innovative approach to the art of tap dance. Her work primarily explores the intersection of tap and music, particularly jazz, positioning tap not only as dance but also as a significant form of music.

Recognized by Downbeat Magazine as “jazz’s premier tap dancer” and described by The New York Times as “an outstanding jazz musician,” she has garnered widespread acclaim for her contributions to both fields.

Michela has had the privilege of being mentored by tap legends such as Gregory Hines, Buster Brown, Leroy Myers, and Mable Lee. She holds the unique distinction of being the only female lifetime honorary member of the legendary tap dance fraternity The Copasetics and has been featured on a U.S. Forever Postage Stamp that honors the art form of tap dance. Dianne Walker expressed in Dance Magazine “ She is the Baby Laurence of this generation, a true jazz hoofer. She gets it, she lives it—authentically.”

Her accolades include the Hoofer Award and the FloBert Award. The Huffington Post has referred to her as a “hurricane of rhythm.” She has been highlighted multiple times in The New York Times, including being featured in T Magazine alongside her mentor and dear friend Anna Deavere Smith who recognized her as her artistic heir. Quincy Jones has also praised her as an “absolute tap dancing star who knows her roots.”

Throughout her extensive career, Michela has performed as a soloist and with her group, Love Movement, at prestigious venues such as the Joyce Theater, The Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Hollywood Bowl, The Whitney Museum of American Art, Mass MoCa, Newport Jazz Festival, Jacobs Pillow, Green Box, Yale, The Ford Foundation, Monterey Jazz Festival, Little Island, Summerstage, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Umbria Jazz Festival, The Louis Armstrong House Museum, National Sawdust, HarlemStage, Spiegeltent at Bard College, The Strathmore, and Carnegie Hall.

Recently, she premiered her full-length theatrical work “Once Upon A Time Called Now” and co-produced the documentary film “American Tap.”

In addition to her performance work, Michela is also dedicated to education and has taught at Grinnell College, Tulane University, Kean University, Hampshire College, Penn State, NYU, Nazareth College as well as numerous national and international tap festivals. She has also served on the faculty of Anna Deavere Smith’s “Performance Lab” since 2022.

Michela has collaborated musically with a host of notable figures, including Wynton Marsalis, Jon Batiste, Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, Russell Hall, Regina Carter, Benny Golson, Catherine Russell, Barry Harris, Roy Haynes, Renee Fleming, and Esperanza Spalding, continually pushing the boundaries of tap dance within the realm of music.