National Dance Institute Names Troy Anthony as the Helen Stambler Neuberger Artist-In-Residence for 2025 Season

 National Dance Institute announced the appointment of Troy Anthony as its Helen Stambler Neuberger Artist-in-Residence for the 2024-2025 season. This marks the first time NDI has selected a musician for the residency, perfectly aligned with the organization's 2025 curricular theme, "The Evolution of Rock Music."

The one-year residency recognizes Anthony's extraordinary achievements as a composer, lyricist, director, and community builder. 

As the Creative Director of Fire Ensemble Inc., a choir community currently in residence at The Shed, a cultural center in Hudson Yards, New York City, Anthony has developed innovative methodologies for using voice and movement to foster collective healing and joy.

“We are thrilled to welcome Troy Anthony as our Artist-in-Residence,” said Kay Gayner, NDI's Artistic Director. “His extraordinary talent as a composer and music director is matched by his ability to create transformative spaces where people of all backgrounds can discover their voices. Troy's focus on meaningful expressiveness, community-building, and joyful artistic practice aligns closely with NDI's mission.”

During his residency, Anthony will work with NDI's Celebration Team, creating musical arrangements that bridge NDI's dance curriculum with his unique approach to vocal performance. He will also bring Fire Ensemble's innovative choir practice to NDI, opening up intergenerational singing experiences for NDI Teaching Artists as well as our students and their families.

“I am honored to join the NDI community,” says Anthony. “My goal is to create experiences where voice and movement come together naturally, where fear is welcome but not an obstacle, and where excellence emerges through genuine connection. I believe that rehearsal itself is the main event — it's where we discover our voices and learn to honor both our individual expression and our collective purpose.”

Anthony's appointment represents a continuation of NDI's commitment to showcasing diverse artistic voices and bringing their expertise, artistry and unique approaches to creating to the staff and stakeholders of NDI. His work, which he describes as “practicing Black Queer Joy,” emphasizes the intentional cultivation of joy as a form of resistance and celebration. This philosophy resonates deeply with NDI's own emphasis on using arts education to build confidence and community.

In addition to The Shed, Anthony has received commissions from prestigious institutions including The Public Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and others. 

Anthony’s NDI residency will also be accompanied by the release of "The Revival: It Is Our Duty," his debut album in the summer of 2025. “The Revival” weaves gospel, R&B, jazz, and musical theater traditions to create a powerful musical experience focused on collective healing and hope.

His recent accolades include receiving the Vivace Award from the Bret Adams and Paul Reisch Foundation. He is also known for creating inclusive spaces through his leadership of the Fire Ensemble, which welcomes singers of all experience levels and backgrounds.

NDI's Helen Stambler Neuberger Artist-in-Residence Program provides platforms for artists of color while enriching NDI's dance education programs. Previous residents include Tiffany Rea-Fisher, Artistic Director of EMERGE125; Mai Lê Hô, Founder and Artistic Director of LayeRhythm; Camille A. Brown, Founder and Artistic Director of Camille A. Brown & Dancers; and Brazilian tap dancer Leonardo Sandoval, Co-Founder of Music from the Sole with musician Gregory Richardson.

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