National Dance Institute

National Dance Institute National Dance Institute (NDI) brings the joy of dance and music to thousands of children each year.
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Founded in 1976 by Jacques d’Amboise & now celebrating 50 years, NDI partners with public schools to provide free dance education to all. National Dance Institute (NDI) brings the joy of dance and music into the lives of thousands of children each year. Founded in 1976 by Jacques d’Amboise, we are proud to be celebrating our 50th anniversary year. In partnership with public schools, families, and

communities, NDI creates spaces where every child can move, create, and belong. Our programs are designed to nurture confidence, spark creativity, and build a sense of community so that all children, regardless of background, ability, or experience, have the opportunity to grow through the arts.

06/17/2026

Runs & Leaps is a signature NDI experience—built so every dancer gets their moment to shine while being part of something bigger than themselves. 💫⁠
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Join us next month for our Runs & Leaps Extravaganza as 500+ dancers move together in joyful community, each one contributing their own energy, expression, and presence to the whole!⁠
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📆 Tuesday, July 28⁠
📍 Naumburg Bandshell (Central Park NYC)
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Register by 7/14 to be part of the magic! → https://bit.ly/3SukTHo
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“That was the best show I have ever seen in my entire life.”We overheard one of our NDI In-School Program dancers say th...
06/16/2026

“That was the best show I have ever seen in my entire life.”

We overheard one of our NDI In-School Program dancers say this while leaving a Student Matinee today, and to be honest... that's the dream. 💛

Every year, hundreds of students from NDI partner schools come to our Event of the Year as a field trip. They cheer for their classmates, experience live music and performance, and discover what's possible when creativity, hard work, and community come together on stage.

Sometimes it's easy to measure impact in numbers.

Sometimes it sounds like a child walking out of a theater saying they just saw the best show of their life.

That's why we do this. A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring this experience to life for the hundreds of students who filled our theater. These moments matter.

06/15/2026

A view from the wings at NDI’s Event of the Year. ✨

After months of rehearsals, hundreds of dancers, musicians, teaching artists, and staff came together this weekend to bring Don’t Stop Us Now! 50 Years of NDI to life at NYU Skirball .

And tonight is your final chance to experience it. 💥

🎟️ Limited tickets remain for tonight’s final performance. Grab them at the link in bio.

06/14/2026

The crowd was on their feet before the bows even finished. 💥
That’s the energy inside Don’t Stop Us Now! 50 Years of NDI - joyful, electric, and filled with the kind of magic that only happens when 200 young dancers take the stage together.
There’s still time to experience it for yourself. ✨
🎟️ Tickets are still available for today and tomorrow’s performances at NYU Skirball, but they’re going fast!
📍 NYU Skirball�📅 Final performances June 15 & 16�🔗 Click 👇🏾
https://www.nationaldance.org/en/events/event-of-the-year-performances

06/13/2026

Final rehearsals at NYU Skirball before we open the house tonight. 💛
Every NDI show begins with our signature runs & leaps — first walked carefully for safety, teamwork, and spacing… and then fully unleashed. 💥
In just a few hours, more than 200 dancers from across New York City will take the stage for Don’t Stop Us Now! 50 Years of NDI.
Costumes are steamed. The band is ready. The lights are up. ✨
And tonight, the theater fills.
🎟️ Limited tickets remain for this weekend’s performances.�📍 NYU Skirball�🔗 click below:

https://www.nationaldance.org/en/events/event-of-the-year-performances?fbclid=PAZnRzaASadsNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAacRDqTBBGg2KviaYTVuUvePMW-wEEE-2xQj5rU18eOtJ4dIMI84o2ADYE2mvw_aem_Etrn2SHqSsOPivzPMGlxNA

06/11/2026

💥 RUN to get your tickets!

Our final rehearsal at the Jacques d’Amboise Center is officially complete, and as we speak, 200 NDI dancers are headed to the NYU Skirball stage for Don’t Stop Us Now! 50 Years of NDI.

The signature NDI runs & leaps return this weekend alongside exuberant choreography, live music, and pure joy performed by talented children from across New York City. ✨

Saturday is SOLD OUT and tickets for Sunday & Monday are going fast!

📍 NYU Skirball
📅 June 13 - 15
🎟️ Grab your seats now at the link in below.

https://www.nationaldance.org/en/events/event-of-the-year-performances

Dance with us this summer in Central Park to rally for arts education! 💛 On July 28, NDI’s Runs & Leaps Extravaganza w...
06/10/2026

Dance with us this summer in Central Park to rally for arts education! 💛 On July 28, NDI’s Runs & Leaps Extravaganza will show the world that early arts experiences change lives! We’re inviting 500+ alumni, families, supporters, and arts education advocates to run and leap across the stage at the Naumburg Bandshell as an act of joy and a moment to shine.
🗓 July 28, 2026
📍 Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park
⏰ 9 AM–1:15 PM
Join hundreds of dancers, alumni, families, and arts supporters for a joyful morning of movement, community, and celebration — culminating in a massive performance of NDI’s signature choreography right in the heart of Central Park.
No dance experience necessary. Every participant gets their moment in the spotlight. 💫
Registration is $25 and includes an NDI t-shirt.
🔗 Register now at the link below.
https://www.nationaldance.org/en/ndi-runs-and-leaps-event-2026

Young people are facing unprecedented levels of loneliness, disconnection, and emotional strain. ⁠⁠Yet arts education co...
06/09/2026

Young people are facing unprecedented levels of loneliness, disconnection, and emotional strain. ⁠
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Yet arts education continues to be treated as an extracurricular luxury instead of an essential part of learning.⁠
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In a new essay, NDI Artistic Director Kay Gayner explores why dance and music education may be one of the most powerful responses to today's youth mental health crisis. ⁠
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From fostering belonging and collaboration to building confidence and empathy, the arts help young people develop the skills they need to thrive—both in school and in life.⁠
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As NDI Founder Jacques d’Amboise believed, the arts are how human beings practice being human.⁠
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Read more on our blog → https://bit.ly/4dVgwO5
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📸 Christopher Duggan Photography
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Close to 20 NDI In-School Programs are having their end-of-year performances this month, and we’re loving every one of t...
06/06/2026

Close to 20 NDI In-School Programs are having their end-of-year performances this month, and we’re loving every one of them! A huge congratulations to all of the dancers and teaching artists whose hard work and commitment have made these performances truly unforgettable. Did you have the opportunity to see any of them? Let us know in the comments!

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