Bios
Jacques d'Amboise (Founder of NDI) is recognized as one of the finest classical dancers of our time. Jacques d'Amboise now leads the field of arts education with a model program that exposes thousands of school children to the magic and discipline of dance. In 1976, while still a principal at the New York City Ballet, Mr. d'Amboise founded the not-for-profit National Dance Institute in the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage and motivate individuals towards excellence.
His contributions in arts education have earned him numerous awards and honors including: The Mayor's Award for Arts & Culture (2004); People First Honoree - People Magazine (2002); The Arison Award (2002); The Heinz Award (2001); Dance Magazine Award (1999); NCEA St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award (1996); The Kennedy Center Honors (1995); The National Caring Award- The Caring Institute (1995); The Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts from the American Academy of Arts and Letters (1993); a 1990 MacArthur Fellowship: The Capezio Award (1990); The First Annual Producers Circle Award for public service (1989); the distinguished Paul Robeson Award for excellence in the field of the humanities (1988); The Nancy Hank Fellowship - Duke University; and the Sterling Merrill Fellowship, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"He Makes Me Feel Like Dancing", a 1984 PBS documentary film about his work with NDI won an Academy Award, six Emmy Awards, the Peabody Award, the Golden Cine Award, and the National Education Association Award for the advancement of learning through broadcasting. Mr. d'Amboise has been the recipient of many honorary doctorates including Honorary Doctorate of the Fine Arts Award at the Juilliard School (2000). He has served as a full professor and dean of dance for two years at SUNY Purchase and eleven years as visiting professor at the College of Creative Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara.
Ellen Weinstein (Artistic Director) began teaching and choreographing for National Dance Institute in 1985 and was named Artistic Director in 1995. She is responsible for the direction of NDI's In-School Program, which currently serves thousands of children in New York City public schools. Through NDI, her work has been performed at venues as varied as Carnegie Hall, the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and with the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. Her choreography, "Wade in the Water," was featured at the White House at a State dinner hosted by President and Mrs. Clinton. As an artistic consultant to NDI's national outreach programs, Ms. Weinstein has set works and directed residencies in major cities across the country. She traveled to Moscow as a consultant for NDI's artistic exchange with the Soviet Union and also worked with children in Madras, India. Prior to joining NDI, she danced professionally with the Savannah Ballet, the Garden State Ballet and several contemporary dance companies. Her free-lance work has included choreography for the Disney film "Offbeat," commercials, and Radio City Music Hall's production of Polaroid's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Ms. Weinstein served as adjunct professor in process pedagogy at the State University of New York at New Paltz. She received a B.F.A. in Dance from SUNY Purchase.
Leslee Asch (Executive Director) joined the National Dance Institute (NDI) as Executive Director in May 2004. Prior to joining NDI, Leslee ran her own consulting firm helping clients with program development and evaluation, strategic planning and implementation; and market analysis. Her work focused on arts, education and community development. Her client list includes Anna Deavere Smith Works, Young Audiences/ New York, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Disney World. Before that, she spent twenty years at Jim Henson Productions (the creator of the Muppets) where she was the Exhibitions Director of the Jim Henson Company and Executive Director of the Jim Henson Foundation. For over ten years she was the Producing Director of the Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater, the prestigious Obie and Drama Desk award-winning festival. Leslee holds an M.S. in Nonprofit Management and a Certificate in Organizational Development from the New School University's Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy.
Tracy Straus (Associate Artistic Director) has been a member of National Dance Institute's artistic staff since 1993. In her role as Master Teacher/Choreographer, she has directed residencies for children across America. In 2000, she founded "Celebrate The Beat", a Colorado-based affiliate of NDI which she continues to direct. She is also Co-Founder of the California Dance Institute. Her experience as an arts educator includes joining The After School Corporation, started by international philanthropist George Soros to bring high quality after-school programs into the public school system. As an arts consultant, Ms. Straus has worked to develop multicultural arts programs for schools in the five boroughs of New York City and has trained dance instructors. Ms. Straus began her performing career at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. An actress as well as a dancer, she trained at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and performed in various off-Broadway venues. Her recent work has included choreographing for the television show "America's Next Top Model" for CBS. She holds a Master's Degree from Bank Street College of Education in early childhood education, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Michigan in dance and literature. She has taught as an adjunct dance professor at New York University and the State University of New York at New Paltz.
