NDI NEWS & PRESS

NDI Partners with the WNET Group on Camp TV, Premiering Nationwide on Public Television

New York, NY – July 10, 2020 – National Dance Institute today announced a content partnership with The WNET Group’s Camp TV, a new one-hour public television series that brings the day camp experience to children nationwide weekdays beginning Monday, July 13 on public television (check local listings). In the New York metro area, Camp TV premieres Monday, July 13 at 10 a.m. on WLIW21, 11 a.m. on THIRTEEN, and 12 p.m. on NJTV. Episodes will also be available to stream at camptv.org.

Providing ideas for fun activities to kids who can’t go to camp this summer, Camp TV is hosted by a head counselor played by Zachary Noah Piser, a Broadway performer (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Wicked”) who guides campers as they learn through play.

“During this challenging time, we hope we’re able to bring kids some of the magic, learning and fun of summer camp through Camp TV,” said Neal Shapiro, […]

2023-01-21T10:57:14-05:00July 10th, 2020|
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Why We Teach You

By Jennifer S Eisenberg, NDI Teaching Artist

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” –Tony Robbins

I am writing from the epicenter of the pandemic. In New York City, to date, there have been nearly 200,000 cases of COVID-19. As I began writing this post back in March, the streets were hauntingly quiet, with the sounds of sirens profoundly noticeable. Each day, the situation seemed to intensify.

Today, around the globe, people are experiencing fear, grief, devastation, hopelessness, boredom, confusion, and more. Across the world, our students are experiencing the full range of emotions and responses as well. Children have found themselves learning in new ways, separated from friends and normalcy and trying their best to adjust to the current situation. Students are adjusting – some school years have concluded and none of it was what we’d imagined.

I say the current […]

2023-01-21T10:57:23-05:00June 7th, 2020|
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ABC 7 NY News Features ndiLIVE! (Free Online Dance Classes)

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — (May 15, 2020) It was no small feat, but this virtual number with dozens of students from the National Dance Institute was part of a star-studded virtual benefit for the non-profit that’s been keeping New York City kids moving and grooving since 1976.

“The joy on their faces,” said Ellen Weinstein, Artistic Director, National Dance Institute, “I wept when I saw the final result.”

The dancers say while it may not be a live show, they still get butterflies.

“It was funny because while I was watching myself dance, I had like second-hand anxiety,” said Malachy Fong, NDI dancer. “I thought I was going to mess up. It’s still really great! That feeling of being there.”

Due to the pandemic, NDI is offering free virtual dance instruction to everyone through their website, Facebook and Instagram live. While it’s not their traditional model of free instruction within the city’s schools, it […]

2020-05-15T15:08:34-05:00May 15th, 2020|
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Playing, Composing, and Arranging for Dance Changes Musicians…in a Good Way!

By Jerome Korman, NDI Music Director

A few weeks ago, which feels like an eternity, I was scheduled to post this blog post about the musical life playing for dance has gifted me. When my colleagues at National Dance Institute (NDI) asked me to finish the post, my first thought was that it seemed frivolous and perhaps not pertinent to the situation the world finds itself in. But it has become clear through all the social media postings that people need to connect and artists need to create. Now is a good time to learn new things, but it is also time to reflect on past challenges and give thanks for all that we have. In that spirit, I give you this post that articulates some of the important ways playing and writing music for dance has shaped my musical journey…in a good way.

To a musician […]

2023-01-21T10:57:33-05:00April 8th, 2020|
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National Dance Institute Named an Official Charity Partner of the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon

[PRESS RELEASE] New York, February 28, 2020— National Dance Institute was named an Official Charity Partner of the 2020 TCS New York City Marathon. The race, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2020.

“National Dance Institute is thrilled to be a part of the New York City Marathon’s 50th anniversary as an Official Charity Partner for this year’s race. Team NDI will raise funds to benefit children in 44 public schools throughout New York City as we promote health and fitness in our dance programs,” said Traci Lester, NDI Executive Director. “The TCS New York City Marathon provides an amazing platform for hundreds of nonprofit organizations to raise awareness and funds toward their missions. We are proud to support our team on their journey to the iconic finish line.”

NDI believes that the arts have a unique power to engage children of every background, […]

2020-02-28T14:23:44-05:00February 28th, 2020|
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NDI DREAM Project on NY1

NY 1 features NDI’s DREAM Project as a program for children with disabilities come to dance in a place where it’s not about their disability. “It’s about their ability—what they can do,” as Artistic Director Ellen Weinstein says. The program pairs these children with their able-bodied peers who learn compassion, empathy, and how to support each other.

2023-01-21T10:57:39-05:00February 24th, 2020|
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STOMP Performer Carlos V. Thomas on the NDI Method

Carlos V. Thomas is a performer with STOMP, a music educator with the New York City Department of Education, and a new teaching artist with NDI. In this blog post, he talks about his experience at the 2019 Level 1 Teaching Artist Training and how the NDI Method has enhanced his teaching.

What were your biggest takeaways from the Level 1 Teaching Artist Training Intensive?

My biggest take away was meeting a new family of teachers, artists, dancers & musicians, and learning with other trainees from around the world. Through this training, not only did we learn NDI teaching styles but, through our professional interactions, we learned and shared our own teaching styles with one another.

Above all, being able to work directly with children was at the heart of the entire two-week training.  Their presence and involvement at the training was a game […]

2020-02-21T10:13:33-05:00February 5th, 2020|
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Professional Development as a Lifeline

“Curriculum doesn’t teach people. People teach people.”
–Daniel Ulbricht, Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet

The Journey Begins

I was twenty-three when I had my first job teaching dance to children in a New York City school. I naively figured that given my rigorous dance training and time in a professional company I was equipped to lead engaging classes for children. I spent many hours at night focused on the ‘what’ of teaching – What steps would I teach? What music would I use? What choreography would we create? I felt prepared once I had a very solid curriculum written in my notebook. That all changed, however, once I was in front of a group of dynamic and excited children. I quickly realized that the ‘what’ of my lesson plan was actually less important than the ‘how.’ How was I going to capture the attention of this delightful and challenging group […]

2020-02-06T18:15:54-05:00January 3rd, 2020|
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