THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS July 25, 2019 - July 31, 2019 • 13 Arts & Entertainment Pg. 15 Film/TV pages 14 | Theater page 16 | Art page 16 | Trends page 17 | Jazz page 18 ‘The Young Lords’ NDI: There is a rose in East Harlem By ZITA ALLEN struction every Saturday from Special to the AmNews January through June, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.. During the There is a rose in East school year, they continue to Harlem where hundreds of participate in the In-School youngsters learn ballet, tap, Program, serving as role modern dance, music, cho- models for their peers. Like reography and more while Tyler, SWAT dancers tackle experiencing “a love of the even more advanced chore- arts, a passion for learn- ography and even perform ing and a desire to strive in what’s called the Event of for their personal best.” The the Year program, “a theme- name of the rose is the Na- based event fully-realized tional Dance Institute. theatrical event at Skirball Founded in 1976 by New with a live band, profession- York City Ballet principal al costume,” which Weinstein dancer Jacques d’Amboise, says “surrounds children with NDI impacts millions of chil- a sense of what it is like to take dren with its joyful, rigorous something from the studio and intellectually engaging and bring it to the stage.” programs. A team that in- That’s a big turning point. cludes d’Amboise as founder Then from there they’re in- and president, Executive Di- vited to join the summer pro- rector Tracie Lester and Artis- gram and from there they’re tic Director Ellen Weinstein, invited back to participate in heads it. On a recent hot something called the Cele- summer day, Weinstein con- bration Team. ducted a tour of the well-ap- Call it the circle of dance pointed NDI building nestled as each experience builds to on West 147th Street between yet another more advanced Frederick Douglass and Adam one, as NDI offers kids a rich Clayton Powell boulevards series of stepping stones which was once PS 90, where from the SWAT Team to the Dance Theatre of Harlem co- Celebration Team, a semi- founder former NYCB prin- professional performance cipal Arthur Mitchell went to ensemble that’s performed school. An auspicious loca- at such prestigious venues as tion if ever there was one. Lincoln Center and the Ken- A former dancer with a di- nedy Center, to something verse background that in- called the Irene Diamond cludes performing with the Summer Institute, an even Garden State Ballet and more rigorous schedule of the late African-American modern, jazz, tap, music and modern dancer/choreogra- choreography. There is also pher Joan Miller’s company, in 41 NYC city schools and Program, Weinstein ex- in another, are the 200 ex- a DREAM project for chil- Weinstein has been with NDI services over 6,500 students plains. It is a free two-week traordinarily talented and dren (ages 8 to 14) of all abil- for over two decades. En- from kindergarten through dance and music program motivated students drawn ities, including dancers who thusiastically, she describes fifth grade. with classes that run from from the In-School Program are deaf and hard-of-hearing, NDI’s dance program: “Think NDI’s full-year programs July 29 through Aug. 8 which enjoying scholarships for dancers who are blind and vi- about how the arts unite chil- consist of weekly classes allow kids to further expe- advanced training. Wein- sually impaired. dren around a shared goal from October through May/ rience high-energy and en- stein says they come from While Weinstein notes that and they care about each June with classes during the gaging dance and music throughout the city “to work NDI’s rich programing isn’t other and support each school day that make dance classes taught by a team of as an ensemble, celebrating specifically designed to create other and celebrate each an integral part of kids’ learn- NDI master teachers and each other's achievements dancers, some have gone on other. Also, the arts engage ing process. Classes include musicians who take kids and forming lifelong bonds.” to LaGuardia High School, or emotion and once emotion live music and cap the expe- on a thrilling, creative jour- One energetic youngster come back as teaching artists, is engaged, there’s no better rience with a celebratory final ney culminating in a perfor- in the SWAT team named but many go on with their way to learn and get excited performance that allows stu- mance. It’s free of charge and Tyler Myers, who says he lives enriched, she says “by about learning. dents to show off their skills no previous dance or music wants to be a dancer, epit- the confidence, self-aware- “Our first contact with the with a “fully-realized theat- experience is required. omizes the group of young- ness and understanding children is our In-School Pro- rical production” complete The day of Weinstein’s tour, sters who proved themselves the value of rigor and disci- gram that is the heart and with an ensemble of musi- the kids at the portable ballet to be “hungry for more” and pline” they learned thanks to soul of NDI. We send a teach- cians, colorful backdrops barres in one of the studios, were chosen to belong to NDI, a rose blooming in East ing team into the city’s public and costumes designed by or hoofing enthusiastical- what’s called the SWAT Team Harlem. For more informa- schools with the help of prin- the children. ly in another and crouching (Scholarships for the Will- tion about how to enjoy this cipals who see the value of a The summer program cur- close to the floor doing a jazz ing, Achieving and Talented). wealth of artistic riches, visit program like this.” Based on rently in session is an ex- routine that looks like some- SWAT dancers gather at the their website at a web of partnerships NDI is tension of that In-School thing out of West Side Story NDI Center for intensive in- http://nationaldance.org/.