National Dance Institute

National Dance Institute was founded in 1976 by New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d’Amboise, and leads the field of arts education with a model program that has been studied and replicated worldwide. 

Under the artistic direction of Kay Gayner, NDI uses dance and music to instill in students a love of the arts, a passion for learning, and a desire to strive for his or her personal best. Our programs also help foster the social development, global awareness, and cultural literacy of our dancers. At the root of NDI’s methodology is the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage all children—regardless of background, physical and cognitive challenges, or socio-economic status—and motivate them toward excellence. 

Each year, through a combination of in-school residencies, out-of-school time initiatives, and programs for advanced dancers, NDI reaches over 6,000 children in public schools throughout New York City, and hosts a full roster of events and performances at the National Dance Institute Center for Learning & the Arts in Harlem. 

The NDI Center, which opened in 2011, has allowed us to further our mission and expand our reach, serving as a beacon for children, teachers, and artists in the community and worldwide. In addition to our programming in New York City, NDI has 11 associate programs in the United States, as well as one in Shanghai, China. 

Since our founding 40 years ago, NDI has impacted the lives of over two million children throughout New York City, across the United States, and around the world…free of charge.