The children of NDI (like Walter, above!) are hard at work rehearsing for NDI’s Star Party benefit on Oct. 19. Packed with Broadway and dance stars supporting NDI’s work in New York City public schools, this fundraiser will be dedicated to the memory of Judy Weston, a devoted Board member and NDI champion. Her involvement and generosity helped ensure that generations of children will experience the joy and power of the arts. For information and tickets, click here.

DREAM Project co-creator Kay Gayner leads a DREAM Project workshop.

DREAM Project Dancers Resume & Teacher Training Launches

NDI is so proud to congratulate our DREAM teacher-choreographer Jerron Herman on being named a Disability Futures fellow! This new initiative of the Ford Foundation and Mellon Foundation will “amplify the voices of disabled creatives individually and collectively.”

NDI’s DREAM Project is generously funded by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, the Julie Rice DREAM Scholarship Fund, and the Billy Rose Foundation.

At Chinatown’s PS 130/Hernando de Soto, a National Dance Institute partner school since 1985, principal Renny Fong is welcoming back students with a video that brightened our spirits so much, we wanted to share it with you! Watch it HERE.

PS 130 is heading into a challenging school year after accomplishing an enormous feat this summer: During COVID, the elementary school was selected to serve as a community food distribution center. The work was handled so well that principal Renny Fong was featured on Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza’s August 12 video information session explaining how thousands of meals — as many as 15,000 in one day — were served daily.

“The kitchen staff, security staff, crossing guards, and custodial staff have held the fort down as the school never really closed since we went to remote learning,” said Fong.

Now as classes resume, Fong (also an NDI parent!) expects PS 130 to continue on with momentum. The active parent body has stayed in regular communication with the school’s staff. During Town Halls and Zoom chats, families made clear their appreciation for arts programs. “The parents wanted to make sure we keep continuing the arts partnerships with organizations like NDI,” said Fong.

Families also had a first-hand view of arts education programs, he said, because many parents participated in the students’ work: “We could see that as they did videos together with their children.”

NDI’s partnership with PS 130 has expanded over time. First graders experience the rigor of dance and music education for about three months; Fourth graders engage with NDI’s curriculum for the full school year.

In each grade level, said Fong, the benefit is immediately clear. “One of the reasons our fourth graders have performed well on their standardized tests is having strong arts programs like NDI,” he said. “They prove to themselves that they can set goals, work hard at something, and then become successful at it.”

In first grade, students build confidence and overcome fear over the 10-week program, he said: “By the end, there is not one student who ever says, ‘I CAN’T.’ It’s magical!”

Fong is evenly more deeply connected to NDI as a parent of one of our Advanced Program dancers. “My son, Malachy, went to PS 20 and I couldn’t believe it when he got chosen to be in SWAT,” he said. “I’ve been an NDI parent for the past five years. So many great memories all around!”

National Dance Institute welcomes two alums to the Board of Directors: Jermaine Jones, controller of Brighton Health Plan Solutions; and Christopher Schlank, founder and co-managing partner of the Savannah Fund.

Schlank said his goal in joining the board is to connect the New York City real estate community to NDI. For Jones, who has volunteered on the board’s finance committee, the goal is to ensure that future generations of children can experience NDI: “I want to help NDI grow and impact the lives of kids the way it impacted me.”

Retiring from the board is Linda Singer, who had joined in 2008 and championed NDI’s In-School Programs. Board Chair Helen Stambler Neuberger celebrated Singer’s work and thanked her for all the “wisdom, enthusiasm, generosity and good advice” over the years.

“NDI will always be in my heart,” said Singer. “I will remember so many wondrous occasions when I felt pride for the accomplishments of the children, teachers, board, and organization.”

NDI Alum Nev Schulman is on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars!

“This week’s dance was all about energy and joy. I’m so honored that #JacquesdAmboise was a part of the night and so grateful for my time with National Dance Institute. Now more than ever we need better arts programming in schools and organizations like NDI to inspire and encourage creativity and expression.”

You’re invited to a stellar autumn evening on Monday, October 19 to benefit the arts education programs of NDI!