DREAM

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|

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

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|

GoodStuffBuzz: Empowering Dance Program for Disabled Children Puts Inclusion in The Spotlight

"Regardless of age, race or physical disabilities, dance has the capacity to speak to our souls and provide a way for us to express ourselves with joy. New York’s National Dance Institute is making sure that individuals with disabilities have the same opportunity to express themselves through dance as those more able-bodied with their Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement (D.R.E.A.M.) dance program."

2018-03-16T14:32:47-04:00March 10th, 2017|

A Plus: Kids with Disabilities Get The Spotlight as They Dance with Their Peers in This Amazing Dance Class

"Dance is a powerful form of communication and expression that can be accessible to anyone, regardless of background, experience, or ability. To give people of all abilities the opportunity to experience the joys of dance National Dance Institute (NDI) created the Dancers Realize Excellence through Arts and Movement (D.R.E.A.M.) dance program. It's a week-long program pairing kids of various abilities with able-bodied kids."

2017-11-09T21:01:53-04:00February 28th, 2017|