National Dance Institute's 2014 Gala Raises Over $1.2 Million; Features PIPPIN's Terrence Mann and Charlotte D'Amboise

National Dance Institute (NDI) honored renowned celebrity chef and restaurateur, Marcus Samuelsson, and philanthropists Barbara & Donald Tober last night, April 28, 2014. Terrence Mann and Charlotte d'Amboise of the Tony Award-winning musical "Pippin" emceed the event. The evening featured special performances by the children of National Dance Institute and Charles "Lil' Buck" Riley. The 2014 Annual Gala raised over $1.2 million for arts education at the Best Buy Theater (1515 Broadway, NYC).

Additional guests in attendance included: Jacques d'Amboise (legendary New York City ballet principal dancer and NDI Founder); Sophia Bush (Chicago P.D.); Charlotte Ross (Nashville); Betty Who (singer/songwriter); Neil deGrasse Tyson; and Daniel Ulbricht, Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild of the New York City Ballet.

The Annual Gala is National Dance Institute's largest fundraising event with all proceeds benefitting NDI's award-winning arts education programs for New York City public school children in under-resourced neighborhoods. NDI's exuberant, participatory and intellectually engaging dance and music programs enrich the lives of 6,000 children in 39 New York City schools each week, filling a critical gap in public school education.

NDI, the non-profit organization that has transformed the lives of millions of public school children through the arts, was founded by the legendary New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d'Amboise in the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage children all children and motivate them toward excellence.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride