Spotlight On: Bianca Johnson

NDI Alumna, Teaching Artist and Choreographer

National Dance Institute has been a large part of my life for the past 16 years. Since I danced the part of a flower in the French Revolution, my relationship with NDI has grown from dancer, to alumna, to Teaching Artist / Choreographer. For me, NDI is not only about learning and performing choreography, but it is a place where tens of thousands of children from all over New York City are guided artistically; supported and nurtured into adulthood. It is a place where tolerance and compassion are as common as knee bends. It is an atmosphere that I was fortunate enough to grow up in.

I became involved with NDI when I was nine years old. I was a sighted guide for the visually impaired and blind dancers at the Lighthouse. While they struggled to learn the steps, I struggled with the enormous responsibility of being someone's "eyes". Every Saturday, we were rehearsed by the most inspiring teaching artists - NDI teachers whose excellence I would model my own teaching after in years to come. These amazing teachers exposed us not only to the magical world of dance but to the priceless world of acceptance and perseverance. NDI gave me the opportunity to use dance to reach out and help someone my own age! We learned that there were no limits to anyone's potential, no matter how challenged they were. It was a real lesson in team work. The idea that success depends on the full participation of the team members has carried over into my work as an NDI teaching artist. From its teaching artists, assistants, musicians, classroom teachers and the support of the school, every part of the NDI classroom is essential to motivate and inspire children to achieve what they never thought they could.

My memories of NDI are vivid and abundant. Every week I work with over 500 children in 20 classrooms in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Jersey City. I incorporate my experiences with NDI into each of my lessons, as my teachers did. I tell them of the hot summers I spent immersed in Indian Dance, of dancing on the Celebration Team to the harmony of The No Name Gospel Choir, climbing sets designed by Red Grooms, traveling to perform at the Kennedy Center and dancing with 1,000 children at Madison Square Garden. I watch as their faces beam with excitement at the thought of being able to experience these things for themselves one day.

Being a teacher for NDI fills me with such a deep sense of satisfaction and pride. I see my students grow and learn from one class to the next and watch their indescribable transformation. I love teaching classes, but I think my favorite part of teaching for NDI is when my students perform. I am overwhelmed with emotion every time the audience settles, the drum roll begins, the curtain rises and the music starts. It takes me back to a time when I would wait backstage with my friends, for my turn to run and leap across the stage. Every time we performed it was the most thrilling moment, and it was because I knew that every time I jumped over that center line there was always an NDI teacher I could trust on the other end to guide me and lead me to my next place.

Spotlight On: NDI Dancer, Zach

I would first like to thank the supporters of National Dance Institute (NDI) for making this program possible. It has changed my son's life.

Zachary has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Aspergers Syndrome. He was having trouble at school, both socially and academically. A large classroom with too much stimulation and not enough structure was overwhelming to him. Luckily for us, when he entered the fifth grade, we discovered that weekly NDI dance classes were part of the curriculum.

Zachary took immediately to NDI and looked forward to every class. It was the one place where he was totally focused and could shine. NDI gives children confidence in themselves and a healthy environment in which to express it. It provides them with the structure they need and passion to work hard for what they love. It fosters a sense of belonging and teamwork. When Zachary found out how much it costs to provide the program to other children, he was so moved that he donated the $50 that he had been saving for video games.

Every year NDI selects children from the In-School program, to receive advanced training in dance and the arts. These programs, the SWAT (Scholarship for the Willing, Able, and Talented) and Celebration Teams, rehearse every Saturday throughout the school year. The day Zachary came home with an invitation to join the SWAT Team changed his life completely. He was so excited to show me his letter. I worried at first about whether he would be able to keep it together for the long rehearsals, so I went every week, in case he got overwhelmed. NDI teachers and staff met with me and took the time to learn about Zachary and his special needs. They saw his gifts and were very willing to work with me on supporting him. As a result, Zachary went on to complete the year, and has now moved on to join the Celebration Team.

NDI is amazing. All the children, staff, parents, and volunteers magically come together to make this program and the performances incredible. By the end of last year, Zachary was so pumped up that for weeks he was dancing in the street everywhere we went; waiting for the bus, in stores, and at home, he just couldn't stop dancing.

I believe that Zach's NDI experience has contributed significantly to his success in school this year. It has given him the skills, not only of dance, but also of responsibility and self-motivation. He is more focused, more confident, and better adjusted socially.

Thank you NDI.

Kiana, Zach's Mom