National Dance Institute is thrilled to announce Lexi Viernes-Blair as the 2026-27 Marc S. Solomon Teaching Artist Fellow. The  Fellowship is a professional development experience for exceptionally gifted and emerging dancer-choreographers of color who seek leadership opportunities in dance and arts education. The Fellowship provides salaried employment, including benefits, for one full year as a Teaching Artist in NDI's award-winning In-School Programs, opportunities to participate in NDI's work with scholarship teams and DEIA initiatives, and can lead to an ongoing full-time staff position.

Lexi Viernes-Blair is a dancer and teaching artist originally from California, and now based in New York City. She graduated from the University of California—Irvine, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and Performance, and a minor in Journalism. She was a dancer with Dr. S Ama Wray’s Jazz Dance Ensemble for three years and also worked under the direction of Donald McKayle as a member of his performing group Etude Ensemble for two years.

Upon graduation, Lexi continued to work professionally as a bicoastal dancer, freelancing with several dance companies in Los Angeles and New York City. Some highlights from her career include: 2nd National Tour Billy Elliot the Musical (ballet girl), Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (Dance Captain), commercial work for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and Bridesmaids: A Dance Narrative. 

Currently, Lexi is stepping into her fourth year as a teaching artist with National Dance Institute. She has taught in several dance studios and schools in both California and New York, and is so grateful for the experiences that have shaped her journey today. Lexi is honored to be named the Marc Solomon Teaching Artist Fellow for 2026-2027, and she looks forward to continuing to learn and lead with joy, and encourage young dancers to find their inner light.