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Absolute magic: National Dance Institute marks 10 years of Dream Project performances

News 12 | Mar 11, 2024 | By News 12 Staff

Dancers with the National Dance Institutes’ Dream Project were ready to get to work ahead of their 10th annual performance.

The program is part of the curriculum of 50 schools throughout New York City – giving dancers of all abilities a stage to strut their stuff.

News 12’s Jordan Kissane went behind-the-scenes during a rehearsal and spoke with Dream Project co-creator Dr. Agnes McConlogue Ferro.

“We know that magic is in inclusion. The magic is in dance. And we saw this firsthand with the children who were our very first participants. Some of whom are still with us and some who are not,” she said.

Learn more about the Dream Project at the National Dance Institute website.

See News 12’s story with video here.

2024-03-11T14:02:13-04:00March 11th, 2024|

NDI’s DREAM adaptive dance workshop celebrates 10th anniversary

CBS News | March 6, 2024

By Jessi Mitchell

NEW YORK – An adaptive workshop in Harlem is uniting different types of dancers for a totally unique experience.

The nonprofit National Dance Institute trains the community’s children through scholarships and in-school programs, touching two million lives since its inception in 1976. Perhaps the most impactful part of its mission is the DREAM Project.

“If you have a body and you want to dance, you are welcome here,” said Kay Gayner, NDI artistic director and co-founder of the DREAM Project.

The weeklong adaptive dance workshop celebrated its tenth anniversary with a special alumni reunion recital. Pediatric physical therapist and DREAM Project co-director Dr. Agnes McConlogue Ferro, along with workshop instructors, introduce differently-abled dancers to the Institute’s scholars in a style described as “individualized inclusion.”

“They’re performing the same dance, but there may be what we call translations for each partnership, depending on whatever their specific needs are, their abilities. But […]

2024-03-11T14:00:26-04:00March 11th, 2024|

Joyous N.J. dance program gives kids with disabilities a chance to shine

NJ.com  | March 03, 2024 – Many programs unite disabled and non-disabled dancers. The National Dance Institute, founded in 1976 by famed ballet dancer/choreographer Jacques d’Amboise, marked the tenth anniversary of its DREAM program — Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Music — on Feb. 23. DREAM is an inclusive dance program that pairs children with and without disabilities, according to the institute.“ Access to high-quality arts education is every child’s birthright. We welcome children with a wide range of disabilities. If you have a body, you can dance,” said Kay Gayner, NDI's Artistic Director and DREAM co-founder.“The DREAM dance curriculum’s magic is in the mix: partnering children with disabilities with age-matched peers empowers all of our dancers to maximize participation, teamwork and creativity,” Gayner said. The program “inspires mutual respect and empathy among the dancers and helps audiences understand and redefine what dance can and should look like. Inclusion elevates everyone,” she said.

2024-03-11T14:03:53-04:00March 3rd, 2024|

NDI’s DREAM Project Celebrates 10 Years of Talent and Inclusion: “It’s a Hidden Treasure”

Non-Profit Arts Education Organization Celebrates 10 Years of Inclusion, Understanding, and Joy Among Students With and Without Disabilities

FE NEWS | NON-PROFIT NEWS

DREAM Alumni Reunion in February Is A Testament To NDI Founder Jacques d’Amboise’s  Vision to Inspire Children of All Abilities and Backgrounds through the Performing Arts

National Dance Institute (NDI), the nonprofit arts education organization that delivers award-winning dance and music programs to thousands of children worldwide, will host a DREAM alumni homecoming on February 23rd in honor of the 10th anniversary of the NDI DREAM Project (Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement), an inclusive dance program that provides children with and without disabilities the opportunity to perform together in true partnership.

The NDI DREAM Project was co-founded by Kay Gayner, NDI’s Artistic Director, and Pediatric Physical Therapist, Dr. Agnes McConlogue Ferro.
Along with Aileen Barry, NDI’s Senior Director of Education & Outreach, Gayner and Ferro developed a program that is a model for inclusivity in NYC and nationwide, growing into an increasingly popular training program that equips dance and music educators as well as physical therapists with tools to […]

2024-02-16T17:29:56-04:00February 16th, 2024|

NDI’s DREAM Project Marks 10 Years Of Inclusive Joy For Children With And Without Disabilities

HARLEM WORLD | FEBRUARY 6, 2024

National Dance Institute (NDI), is the Harlem nonprofit arts education organization that delivers award-winning dance and music programs to thousands of children worldwide.

Will host a DREAM alumni homecoming on February 23rd in honor of the 10th anniversary of the NDI DREAM Project (Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement), an inclusive dance program that provides children with and without disabilities the opportunity to perform together in true partnership.

The NDI DREAM Project was co-founded by Kay Gayner, NDI’s Artistic Director, and Pediatric Physical Therapist, Dr. Agnes McConlogue Ferro.

Along with Aileen Barry, NDI’s Senior Director of Education & Outreach, Gayner and Ferro developed a program that is a model for inclusivity in NYC and nationwide, growing into an increasingly popular training program that equips dance and music educators as well as physical therapists with tools to expand accessibility and […]

2024-02-16T17:13:30-04:00February 16th, 2024|

National Dance Institute’s DREAM Project Celebrates 10 Years With Alumni Homecoming Event

BROADWAY WORLD | Feb. 07, 2024 | By


National Dance Institute will host a DREAM alumni homecoming on February 23rd in honor of the 10th anniversary of the NDI DREAM Project (Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement), an inclusive dance program that provides children with and without disabilities the opportunity to perform together in true partnership.

The NDI DREAM Project was co-founded by Kay Gayner, NDI’s Artistic Director, and Pediatric Physical Therapist, Dr. Agnes McConlogue Ferro. 

Along with Aileen Barry, NDI’s Senior Director of Education & Outreach, Gayner and Ferro developed a program that is a model for inclusivity in NYC and nationwide, growing into an increasingly popular training program that equips dance and music educators as well as physical therapists with tools to expand accessibility and inclusivity in their own communities.

“Access to high quality arts education is every child’s birthright,” said Gayner.  […]

2024-02-16T17:31:31-04:00February 6th, 2024|
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