National Dance Institute To Honor Ariana DeBose and More At 47th Annual Gala

National Dance Institute (NDI), the non-profit organization that has transformed the lives of millions of public school children through the arts, will hold its 47th Annual Gala on Monday, April 17, 2023 at The Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.

The event will honor Academy Award-Winning actress, dancer & singer Ariana DeBose as well as philanthropists and long-time patrons of NDI, Carmen & Ray Debbane. The evening will also feature special performances by the children of National Dance Institute.

The Annual Gala is National Dance Institute's largest fundraising event of the year, with all proceeds benefiting NDI's award-winning arts education programs for New York City public school children. NDI's exuberant, participatory, and intellectually engaging dance and music programs enrich the lives of over 6,000 children in 46 New York City schools each week, filling a critical gap in public school education.

National Dance Institute was founded by the legendary New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d'Amboise in the belief that the arts - dance and music in particular - have a unique power to engage all children and motivate them toward excellence, both in school and in life.

The Gala will begin at 6PM with a cocktail reception. Dinner, the honoree presentations, live auction, and special performances will follow at 7PM.

The Gala's Honorary Co-Chairs are Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody and Charlotte d'Amboise & Terrence Mann. The Gala Chairs are Ketty & François Maisonrouge, Madaleine Berley & Arnold Penner, Amy Zhen & Christopher Schlank, and Cindy Levine & Marc S. Solomon. The Gala Vice Chairs are Valerie & Charles Diker, Lisa A. Huestis & David E. Van Zandt, and Helen Stambler Neuberger & Jim Neuberger. The 2023 Gala Committee includes Donya & Scott Bommer, Lauren B. Cramer, Trudy Chan & Thomas Discepola, Deborah Colson & Mark Diker, Jennie L. & Richard K. DeScherer, Patricia Dugan-Perlmuth, Pamela Farr & Buford Alexander, Sari Chang Guthrie & Kevin Guthrie, Laure & Maximilien Maisonrouge, Kathy & Joe Mele, and Danielle Diniz & Daniel Ulbricht.

To purchase tables, tickets, or to make a contribution, please contact the NDI Gala Office, Mon-Fri from 9 am to 5 pm, at (917) 287-1399 or email ndigala@rcspr.com

National Dance Institute (NDI) was founded in 1976 by New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d'Amboise, and leads the field of arts education with a program that has been studied and replicated worldwide. At the root of NDI's methodology is the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage children of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and socio-economic positions, and motivate them toward excellence in all aspects of their lives. NDI's goal is to support the social and emotional development of children through active, participatory arts experiences. We celebrate the creative, confident, and compassionate young adults who emerge from our program with a strong sense of self and an enduring belief in their ability to succeed. Since our founding, NDI has impacted the lives of more than two million children. For more information, visit NDI online at nationaldance.org.