Press & News

The National Dance Institute (NDI) has launched its 50th anniversary season, celebrating five decades of providing arts education to New York City schoolchildren. Founded by Jacques d’Amboise, the Harlem-based organization is calling on its extensive network of over 2 million alumni to reconnect and participate in the celebration, including through a series called Jacques Art Nest.

Princeton Alumni Weekly features NDI Artistic Director Kay Gayner in its "Inspiring Alumni" column: Kay Gayner (Class of ’86) Created an Inclusive Space for Children to Dance. The article focuses on Kay's inspiration and motivation for co-founding the NDI DREAM Project as an inclusive dance program that focuses on partnerships between children with and without disabilities in joyful dance collaboration with performance and live music at National Dance Institute.

Host Tiffany Hanssen on WNYC's radio show, "All Of It with Alison Stewart," interviews NDI Artistic Director Kay Gayner and NDI Board member Daniel Ulbricht, who is also Principal Dancer at the New York City Ballet. Listen as they discuss NDI's mission, the legend of Founder Jacques d'Amboise, and its impact over the past five decades in bringing free, inclusive dance education to over 6,500 children in the NYC area.

Performers included Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr., New York City Ballet Principal Dancers, and the Children of NDI

In the heart of Harlem, the National Dance Institute (NDI) is continuing its mission of inclusion and creativity with the return of its acclaimed DREAM Project.

National Dance Institute’s (NDI’s) 2025 Event of the Year, “Music In The Air: A Celebration of Rock,” brings together almost 200 talented children from New York City schools to perform original choreography accompanied by live music, from June 14th through June 16th.