Gaudanse
gaudanse (Gaudanse, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit interdisciplinary dance production organization rooted between New York, NY and New Orleans, LA. Founded by Imani Gaudin in 2020, our collective of multidisciplinary movement artists creates immersive, whimsical worlds that weave together elements of dance, performance art, music, film, culinary arts, and visual arts. Through accessible programs, mentorship, workshops, and performances, Gaudanse empowers early-career artists—particularly those from marginalized and underserved communities—to cultivate resilience, creativity, and connection. Our work is grounded in accessible, sustainable, wellness-centered creative practices that support personal and professional growth.
We acknowledge and honor that we live and function on the land of the Munsee Lenape, Canarsie, Wappinger, Houma, and Choctaw peoples.
Photo by Isabella Pagano
Imani Gaudin
Our Founding Artistic Director
Imani Gaudin is a choreographer, multidisciplinary performance artist, and the founder of gaudanse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting accessibility and sustainable practices for underserved communities of artists. She received a Certificate of Artistry in dance and was awarded the Rose Jackson Moye Award from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). She then graduated with honors from the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, where she studied abroad at the Amsterdam University of the Arts. Imani has trained at esteemed institutions, including The Juilliard School and The Ailey School, and has performed works by notable choreographers such as Ohad Naharin and Alethea Pace. As a movement artist with TRIBE under the direction of Shamel Pitts, she continues to push artistic boundaries. Imani was recently commissioned by Baryshnikov Arts and the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance to premiere her work in collaboration with visual artist Jakob Vitale, jakob&imani.