New York, NY – On July 28th, National Dance Institute (NDI) welcomed alumni, families, supporters, and arts education advocates to its Runs & Leaps Extravaganza at the iconic Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. Over 200 participants enjoyed a festive day of NDI signature repertoire called Runs & Leaps.
The event kicked off with rehearsals for participants to learn easy and joyful choreography, and welcomed participants of all ages and abilities – from those who’ve never set foot on the dance floor, to seasoned performers. Artistic Director of NDI, Kay Gayner, and former New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Christopher d'Amboise guided participants through dance steps from beloved NDI repertoire. They were accompanied by NDI's live band under Music Director Yakir Ben Hur.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal presented National Dance Institute with a proclamation from his office, and declared July 28, 2026 “National Dance Institute Appreciation Day” in the borough of Manhattan.
“As National Dance Institute celebrates its 50th anniversary, we recognize its extraordinary legacy of enriching generations of young people, strengthening communities through the arts, and demonstrating the transformative power of dance to uplift, unite, and inspire,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
The Runs & Leaps Extravaganza commemorated the birthday of NDI’s founder, the late, legendary New York City Ballet dancer Jacques d’Amboise (1934-2021). It was both a celebration of the community he built and the generations of New York City youth whose lives have been shaped by the power of dance.
"Joy is its own reward. Showing up, moving, and creating something together--that's how we inspire children to believe in themselves,” said Kay Gayner, Artistic Director.
“There is something incredibly moving about seeing alumni return to dance alongside today’s students, all coming together on what would have been Jacques’s birthday,” said Jermaine Jones, Executive Director.
“If Jacques were here today, he would be over the moon. He always believed the impossible was what you had to do. So that’s what we do here at NDI. Runs and Leaps sums up the philosophy of NDI – that every single child, no matter what their body type is or what culture they come from, can all express themselves in their own way with the joyful run and leap,” said Christopher d’Amboise.
This joyous display of support for dance education came at a time when public schools are losing art teachers and facing insufficient funding. Art programs are known to have positive behavioral and mental health outcomes on children’s education and well-being, and “low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education.” Kay Gayner recently wrote about this topic in: There’s An Obvious Curricular Fix to the Youth Mental Health Crisis.
National Dance Institute holds at its core the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage children of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and socio-economic positions and to motivate them toward excellence in all aspects of their lives. It celebrates the creative, compassionate, and confident young adults who emerge from its program with a strong sense of self and an enduring belief in their ability to succeed. Since its founding, NDI has impacted the lives of more than two million children.
The Runs & Leaps Extravaganza was the culminating event of an incredible NDI Alumni Weekend, July 25–28. The full Alumni Weekend schedule included a screening of the Academy-Award winning documentary He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin, directed by Emile Ardolino. The film chronicles the early years of NDI, following Founder Jacques d'Amboise as he leads his 1000 dancing children towards their performance at Madison Square Garden’s Felt Forum.