Statewide Advanced Training Program
National Dance Institute of New Mexico

"Teamwork plus tenacity plus joyful concentration equals achievement" is the artistic arithmetic behind the programs of the National Dance Institute of New Mexico (NDI-NM). Jacques D'Amboise, former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, created the NDI methodology that forms the basis for these programs. Through residencies and in-school programs that use dance to inspire and motivate students, NDI-NM annually reaches more than 5,200 children, delivering programs to 54 schools in 23 rural, urban, and pueblo communities in New Mexico. With the Advanced Training Programs, NDI-NM extends its reach to 864 exceptionally motivated students who wish to continue their training beyond the classroom. By offering year-round weekly instruction and performance components, advanced students are able to reap even more benefits from the NDI training and its uncompromising commitment to excellence.

Advanced Training is a tiered program, and students advance based on their commitment and interest. The statewide programs include seven Super Wonderful Advance Teams (SWAT), two Celebration Teams, one Company Xcel, and two Summer Institutes. The teams train weekly and receive more challenging choreography and expanded performance opportunities. Summer Institutes are held in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, providing dancers with three weeks of daily training in NDI-NM dance style, choreography, ballet, tap, and jazz. Students also train in voice and music and complete a visual arts project. Advanced Training students supplement their team activity and summer instruction with an After-School Program that provides three semesters per year of classes at three ability levels.

NDI-NM's guiding principle is that the mind follows the body, and these programs succeed in stimulating academic and social development in the young dancers. The programs' impact is reflected in the dancers, their parents, and their teachers. Involvement enhances students' self-esteem, improves their behavior, increases physical fitness, and results in greater academic achievement. The majority of NDI-NM's participants are from low-income and/or isolated communities and have limited English proficiency skills. For these children and young adults, dance can play a key role in inspiring them to learn and succeed in life.