NDI inspires me to believe that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.
–Dancer, CS 214
The Future is Now
Dear Friends,
As National Dance Institute approaches our 50th Anniversary, we invite you to share in this monumental occasion with us.
NDI’s founder and New York City Ballet principal dancer, Jacques d’Amboise, often said, “with great challenge comes great opportunity.” Over the past few years, we held tightly to this belief. And now, we have the opportunity to do something extraordinary. We have the opportunity to center the arts in children’s education more broadly, more profoundly, and more effectively than ever before, at a time when the need for strong communities, and all the benefits the arts provide, are paramount.
We are ready, and we need you.
Since our founding in 1976, NDI has influenced the lives of more than two million children. In that time, NDI developed a unique, proven teaching methodology that uses dance and live music to boost children’s critical thinking, develop their global perspective, and hone their social-emotional, communication, and collaboration skills.
Now, with your help, NDI is poised to provide our awardwinning programming to even more children.
Inclusion has been at the heart of NDI’s mission since Jacques walked into a New York City school 49 years ago and said, “How about I teach a dance class?” With that gesture, NDI reimagined what education can be, and since then, our teaching has captivated generations of children. We believe the arts are essential. For every child. For every human.
The arts are a pathway for so many of us. They connect us to our passions and to people, lighting up the world. Every child has a right to that kind of inspiration. Now is the time to plan an ambitious future for NDI, one that is built upon our unparalleled capacity to unlock the limitless potential of young people everywhere through the transformative power of the arts
Will you build that future with us?
Director
Jermaine Jones
Executive Director
Kay Gayner
Artistic
Together We Will...
Our instructors taught us to give, not to take away. It’s all about community. If one person is taking away, we cannot continue. We have to wait until everyone is giving.
–James, PS 40
Build Stronger Tomorrows
Through the Forward Together campaign, we are doubling down on all that is best about NDI —time-tested for nearly 50 years.
We are growing our ecosystem of opportunity in New York City as well as across the country. We are embracing Jacques d’Amboise’s legacy and continuing to lead innovative movement and music education that is open and accessible to all children of every background and ability.
CHILDREN OVER
Together We Will...
Create a Dynamic Community
NDI and the DREAM Project make my inner light shine brighter than the stage lights… Dancing ignites the fires in our souls to create that magic light, and dancing with a group, when we put our lights, those styles and moves, together into one, nothing can dim our light and our joy.
–Peter, Celebration Team Member
Together We Will...
Unleash the Limitless Potential of Every Child
I used to be a small, meek, and unheard kid. You got me to be brave. Thank you again. I believe that you’re my role model. One day, I will do something good because of you.
–Melissa, Fifth Grade Student
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Our Four Campaign Promises Collaboration
Community
Expand the community of students we impact through our transformative programs.
We believe that a child’s education is not complete unless the arts are part of it. Too few students have access and exposure to the arts, particularly children from marginalized neighborhoods and groups. Forward Together is our opportunity to holistically center the arts in children’s lives—in school and outside of school—so they may experience the life-changing benefits of an arts-integrated education.
Multiply collaborations with schools and nonprofits by training extraordinary teachers.
NDI has been an internationally-recognized trailblazer in the field of arts education for nearly five decades. Forward Together builds upon our legacy of training educators and artists through our signature teaching pedagogy, the NDI Method, who serve an ever-growing number of children across the country.
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Capacity
Strengthen our Center in Harlem by investing in technology, systems, and people power to propel our work into the next level of achievement. Forward Together will provide us with the resources to be exceptional stewards of our building and all that happens within it. Ensuring beautiful, well-maintained spaces for our children and visiting artists; providing the best technology and equipment; and attracting the most talented creative professionals, underpin NDI’s leadership and growth in the field.
4 Continuity
Ensure the sustainability of our mission. NDI stands poised to tackle all that stands before it, to be a steadfast leader in the field of arts and learning, and to affirm its commitment to all those we serve. Forward Together will enable NDI to boldly launch our next phase of achievement and expansion.
Promise 1: Community
When children engage with the arts, the joy of their experience and the life skills they develop ripple throughout their lives. Our priority is to engage an ever-growing number of children with enriching dance and music education that develops the whole child and supports their social, emotional, and physical well-being.
When you’re in school, you can think back to a hard step you learned in NDI, and think: ‘If I did that, then I can do this.’ –NDI Dancer, PS 163
Core Initiative Impact
> Grow partnerships with NYC public schools and serve more students, particularly those in marginalized communities.
> Increase scholarships so talented, passionate, and motivated students can receive advanced training in our SWAT and Celebration Teams.
> Expand programs for children with disabilities by investing in our innovative NDI DREAM Project and training teaching artists and physical therapy specialists, allowing us to reach even more children.
> Create local community programming in our Center to deepen NDI’s relationship with children and families in our home neighborhood of Harlem.
NDI helped me to be brave.
– Edwin, PS 235
Promise 2: Collaboration
Training teachers allows NDI to create collaborations with other arts organizations throughout the city, across the country, and around the world. NDI’s educators and artists bring unparalleled instruction and creativity to the table, and we train them in the inclusive practices that Jacques d’Amboise so naturally embodied himself. One teacher alone can make a lasting impression on hundreds of children every year. Magnify this in New York City and multiply it across the country, and NDI’s reach can truly soar!
NDI’s unique pedagogy challenges children beyond what they ever dreamed possible, but not beyond what they are capable of.
—Ellen Weinstein, NDI
Artistic Director
Emerita
NDI is one of the most outstanding in-school dance education programs in our nation.
—Christine Cox, Artistic & Executive Director, BalletX (Philadelphia,
PA)
Core Initiative Impact
> Invest in NDI Staff Teaching Artists through formal mentoring, professional development days, and ongoing training and guidance to nurture long-term growth of the Teaching Artists we send into schools.
> Train more teachers in the NDI Method—our award-winning pedagogy, to spread NDI’s teaching philosophy beyond the NYC community. The NDI Collaborative is engaging hundreds of arts educators across the country and internationally. Every teacher trained means hundreds more children experiencing the joyful rigor of NDI.
> Deepen Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access practices because belonging and representation are at the center of our mission, and investing in DEIA initiatives will ensure that NDI uplifts children wholly and authentically.
> Commission a program assessment to demonstrate our impact on student outcomes so that schools and funders have objective evidence to support NDI’s dance and music program expansion in NYC and beyond.
NDI makes me more confident than I have ever been in my life.
If I get any dances wrong or do them in the wrong way, the dance teachers will always help me.
–Yumi, PS 2
Promise 3: Capacity
Our Harlem home, our happy heart. Forward Together will provide the resources for us to maintain and upgrade our physical facilities, exemplifying the highest professional standards with state-of-the-art production equipment and critical investments in our people, technology, and infrastructure that maximize NDI’s capacity to bring transformative power of the arts to every child.
Give children the best of everything. They will grow up to be the best and to pass on the best.
—Jacques d’Amboise, NDI Founder
Core Initiative Impact
> Invest in facility improvements at the Jacques d’Amboise Center for Learning & the Arts on West 147th Street in Harlem that will enhance our studios, galleries, and theater to amplify the student and audience experience.
> Launch a comprehensive marketing effort to generate awareness of NDI’s impact on children’s lives and cement its place as a leader in the field of arts education and youth development, ultimately increasing engagement and services.
> Update and upgrade technology to support public-facing communication and delivery tools to meet the evolving needs of today’s students, artists, and employees.
Words cannot fully express how much the community at PS 2 loves and appreciates NDI... sometimes the students struggle with expression and communication. NDI is a great program to allow these students to express themselves and to shine.
–Teacher, PS 2
NDI has taught me that it doesn’t matter where you are from, what you look like, or who you are to experience and love this form of expression.
–NDI Dancer, Celebration Team Member
Promise 4: Continuity
Jacques d’Amboise founded NDI because he believed deeply that the arts have the power to unlock a child’s limitless potential—he knew from his own experience how the arts can transform a life. Jacques’s principles were pioneering and powerful in 1976. They remain elevating and inspiring today.
As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary in 2026, we honor Jacques by building a robust financial foundation to sustain his visionary programs for the next 50 years and beyond.
A great teacher can save a child’s life.
–Jacques d’Amboise, NDI Founder
Core Initiative Impact
> Establish the JdA Growth Fund. Strong reserves will ensure we remain secure in the event of unforeseen challenges, so that we can continue our award-winning programming without interruption. Twelve years ago, NDI launched its first capital campaign to create the Jacques d’Amboise Center for Learning & the Arts that we are proud to call home.
As we near our 50th Anniversary in 2026, our Forward Together campaign will enable NDI to impact the lives of even more children, building on our five decades of achievement and the vision of our founder, Jacques d’Amboise.
The first thing I learned in NDI is not to give up when things get hard. Next, I learned that NDI is teaching me that if I try my best I can accomplish my dreams. I also learned I am pretty good at dance when I follow the teacher’s directions.
–Hao, Fifth Grade Student
Forward Together Commitment
Forward Together is a $35 million campaign to invest in the children of NDI.
Of the total campaign goal of $35 million, a significant majority, or 85%, of funds raised are invested directly into the programs, training, and service delivery. The remaining 15% is dedicated to strengthening the financial health of NDI through reserves and ensuring a lasting legacy of commitment and excellence.
Ways to Give
• Cash gifts are accepted through check, credit card, wire transfers, or electronic funds transfers.
> Donor Advised Funds are also widely used to pay pledges and can be used to easily schedule recurring pledge payments.
> Pledges can be paid over a term of 5 years, and NDI will send pledge reminders that align with your anticipated payment schedule.
> Matching Gifts from participating employers are an excellent way to double or even triple the impact of your gift. Please inquire and then send your company’s matching gift form to NDI.
> Stocks and securities can be transferred to NDI as a charitable contribution.
Leave a Legacy Gift as your contribution to the Forward Together campaign. Please inquire to learn more about NDI’s Silver Star Society and ways you can be recognized now for your future generosity.
Share Your Commitment
To recognize the incredible generosity of donors to the Forward Together campaign, NDI offers many opportunities to name its spaces, leadership positions, and programs.
Numerous spaces across NDI are available for naming, providing significant visibility to the NDI community. Examples include studios, galleries, theater seating, and more. NDI is also offering key leadership roles for naming, recognizing donor generosity through leader visibility and action all year long. Examples include the Artistic Director, Music Director, and Executive Director chairs. In addition, naming NDI’s signature programs and events offer an opportunity to showcase NDI’s mission and elevate the generosity of our community. Examples include the advanced performance companies, Celebration and SWAT teams, and our In-School Program.
To learn more about the many recognition opportunities available, please reach out to Michele DeSantis O’Mara, Chief Advancement Officer, at momara@nationaldance.org or call (212) 226-0083.
Join Us...
Friends, I hope you are inspired by our Forward Together campaign and willing to stand by our side today as we embark on our vision for tomorrow.
Walking to my office at NDI every morning, I can’t help but remember how I used to feel on days when NDI came to my middle school, MS 223 The Mott Hall School. NDI transformed my life, and I still get that spark of joy entering our Center in Harlem.
It would mean the world to us, and most importantly, to all of the children whose lives are enriched by NDI now and in the future, if you would join us and ignite the spark that will light up the rest of their lives.
Come dance with us!
Jermaine Jones, Executive Director
Let’s Move Forward Together!
