Dante Lara

Instructor • Rotating Faculty Member

• B.A. Theater Arts – Chapman University

TAP DANCER, Dante Lara, based in both NY and L.A., has been seen in performing in nightclubs, major music festivals, jazz clubs, restaurants, corporate events, hotels, videos and on TV. A graduate of Chapman University with a BA in Theatre Arts, Dante Lara earned his SAG card at age seven, and has been performing professionally ever since.

As a soloist, Dante recently performed at LA.’s Ford Amphitheatre; The Dolby Theatre; The W Hotel Hollywood; The Culver Hotel, The LA Film Festival; The Big Apple Tap Festival, and many other venues in California and New York.

RAWArtists.com named Dante one of their ”Top Three Performing Artists for 2014.”

In addition, Dante is a successful and well-known street performer in New York City, where he hones his craft collaborating with jazz musicians, including the viral jazz band, Receta Secreta. Together, they have performed at hotels, bars, restaurants, and parks in NYC over the past three years.

Dante’s television appearances include World of Dance (NBC), The Talk (CBS), The Nikki Show (WB), Dance Revolution (CBS), and many commercials. Most recently, Dante appeared in the just-released music video for the band, The Dispatch.

Company work includes Chloe Arnold’s NY-based Apartment 33, Parris Mann’s Here’s II Lyfe, Chris Scott’s The Nitty Grittyz and Steve Zee’s LA Ironworks.

Dante teaches at renowned festivals, colleges and studios, including The LA Tap Fest, RIFF: Dallas 2018 (Alongside Savion Glover), Pittsburgh Steel City Tap Festival 2018, The Las Vegas Tap Festival 2018, The Washington DC Tap Festival 2018, Rhapsody in Taps National Tap Day Celebration and Chapman University. Recently, he had the honor of serving as Artist in Residence at Colorado Mesa University.

Dante’s choreography has been showcased at several venues and festivals including The 2017 Hollywood Fringe Fest, the Phoenix Area National Tap Dance Day Celebration, the LA Tap Fest and at many university, high school, and competition stages.

“My mission is to spread Tap Dancing to new audiences and to inspire everyone – especially the next generation of dancers – to sign up for classes, and explore this wonderful, musical dance form.”

Dante is a Rotating Faculty member of Tap Competing Block.