Baby’s Birthday Bash: hosted by Christina Carminucci

A joyous celebration of the GREAT tap dancer Donald Laurence Jackson, aka “Baby Laurence,” on what would have been his 103rd Birthday. The festivities begin with a screening of The Jazz Hoofer (Rhapsody Films 1981), followed by The Solidarity Series II: The Ones Who Dance to Bebop, a LIVE set of tap dance and jazz music, and conclude with a Jam Session OPEN TO ALL! (Bring your shoes, instruments, songs, poems, etc.)

Performance Lineup:

Melissa Almaguer (tap dance)

Ayan Imai-hall (tap dance)

Christina Carminucci (tap dance)

Joe Dyson (drums)

Michael King (piano)

Eric Wheeler (bass)

Seating is first come first serve. This is a FREE event and made possible by Jane Goldberg and The Changing Times Tap Initiative Grant.

Christina Carminucci, born and raised in New Jersey, is a New York City based tap dancer. As a child, she was exposed to many styles of dance at her neighborhood studio. Taking a real interest in tap dance specifically led her to further training at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway, as well as at local festivals, Tap City and Tap Kids. While earning her BBA in Arts and Entertainment Management at Pace University, Christina was fortunate enough to study extensively under the mentorship of Derick K Grant. Recognized as one of Dance Magazine’s 2022 “25 to Watch”, she dedicates her life to the form through practice, creation, performance, and education.

The Jacob’s Pillow Tap Program alumna has appeared in works by many of today’s greatest practitioners, including Dormeshia, Derick K Grant, and Jumaane Taylor. Over the past decade, Christina has performed throughout the NYC area in venues including The Joyce Theater, Little Island, Duke on 42nd, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New Victory Theater, Ornithology, 92Y, and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Outside of the Big Apple, she has appeared at the Gold Coast Dance Festival (NY), Caramoor Jazz Festival (NY), the Paramount Center for the Arts (MN), and the Chicago Jazz Showcase. “Nucci” has also toured internationally as an ensemble member of Christopher Erk’s Tap Factor performing on board the #1 rated cruise ship in the world, the MS Europa 2.

Inspired to continue the tradition of presenting tap dance with live jazz music, Christina produced On That Note at Don’t Tell Mama in 2016, Teatro Sea in 2017, and Feinstein’s/54 Below in 2018, followed by When the Smoke Clears at the Triad Theater in 2019. This set the groundwork for “The Solidarity Series”, an ongoing live performance platform she created in 2021, dedicated to both furthering the development and increasing the visibility of tap dance as it relates to jazz music in efforts to uphold the principles of their connection. “The Solidarity Series IV: Free Spirits Suite”, was presented by the 41st Annual Battery Dance Festival and the Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and Christina’s most recent iteration of the work, “The Solidarity Series V: You Don’t Know What Love Is” was presented by the Dormeshia Tap Collective. Passionate about sharing her love and knowledge of the art form, she teaches regularly at Steps on Broadway in NYC, and at various workshops around the country and world.