Photo Flash: NDI Presents A Celebration of Jerome Robbins Hosted by Jacques d'Amboise and co-directed by Daniel Ulbricht

Jacques d'Amboise, founder of National Dance Institute (NDI) the non-profit organization that has transformed the lives of millions of public school children through the arts, hosted an intimate evening filled with Broadway song and dance on Monday, May 21st and the National Dance Institute Center for Learning & the Arts. As part of his renowned Art Nest series, Jacques hosts these quarterly fundraising events as an opportunity to surround NDI children with industry professionals and expand their knowledge and understanding of the arts. All proceeds to support NDI's award winning arts education programming. To commemorate Jerome Robbins' 100th birthday, Monday's event titled, "Upper West Side Story: A Celebration of Jerome Robbins," was a celebration of Robbins' life, career, and prolific body of work. Jacques took his guests behind the scenes to reveal what it was like to work alongside one of the finest choreographers of our time.

Moderated by New York City Ballet principal dancer, Adrian Danchig-Waring, a recent Jerome Robbins Dance Division Fellow with the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, shared with guests compelling aspects of Jerome Robbins' legacy and overall contribution to dance. Alongside Daniel Ulbricht, the two discussed the intricacies and humanistic nuances of some of Robbins most iconic work which followed by performances of "Fancy Free," "Interplay," "Cage," "Afternoon of a Faun," "Dances at a Gathering," and "Suite of Dances," performed by New York City Ballet principal dancers.

Additional performances included "Charleston" from Billion Dollar Baby, performed by NDI children and staged by Broadway's Charlotte d'Amboise who introduced the piece by talking about what it was like to work with Robbins. Broadways' Jenn Gambatese sang a beautiful rendition of "Somewhere" from West Side Story. There was also a rhythmic and exploratory piece by contemporary theatrical dance troupe, The Bang Group. The evening concluded with a lively and upbeat performance by NDI children to "Other Side of My World," featuring original choreography by Peter Gennaro and vocals by Jenn Gambatese.

NDI was founded in 1976 by New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d'Amboise, and leads the field of arts education with a model program that is replicated worldwide. Under the Artistic Direction of Ellen Weinstein, NDI uses dance and music to instill in students a love of the arts, a passion for learning, and a desire to strive for their personal best. At the root of NDI's methodology is the belief that the arts have a unique power to engage all children-regardless of background, ability or socio-economic status-and motivate them toward excellence. In addition to programming in New York City, NDI has 13 associate programs in the United States, and one in Shanghai, China. In 2011, NDI opened the doors to the National Dance Institute Center for Learning & the Arts in Harlem, allowing the organization to further its mission and expand its reach. Since its founding, NDI has impacted the lives of over two million children. No child pays a penny to participate in NDI's core programs thanks to the generosity of public and private donations. For more information about NDI, visit www.nationaldance.org.

Photos courtesy of National Dance Institute

The Bang Group

Jenn Gambatese

Jared Angle and Sterling Hyltin

Jacques d'Amboise and Adrian Danchig-Waring

Harrison Coll, Amar Ramasar, Daniel Ulbricht

Daniel Ulbricht

Charlotte d'Amboise and the NDI Children