Jacques d'Amboise: Changing Children's Lives

by Cindy Wilkinson

I first became aware of the amazing work of Jacques d'Amboise and his National Dance Institute nearly two decades ago.  While I was teaching at the Swallow Hill Music School back in the mid-90's, a colleague of mine was raving about a workshop being presented in Pueblo, CO the following week and led by Mr. d'Amboise himself.  It would be "life changing", she said.  After learning more about Jacques d'Amboise and the work he had been doing, not just in the U.S., but around the world, I too became inspired by this man and his mission to provide all children the opportunity to "experience the joy and power of the arts."  NDI describes their goals as "to engage and inspire youth to achieve their highest potential, using dance as a catalyst."  And, it has indeed changed the lives of millions of children! 

This past year Mr. d'Amboise wrote a book called "I Was A Dancer".  It is filled with wonderful stories of his childhood in Washington Heights, NY, of his days as a dancer with the New York City Ballet, and of his marriage of 53 years to his beloved Carrie.  He tells of his work with many in the dance world such as Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine.  He shares stories about his children: George, Christopher, Charlotte, and Catherine, and even includes a photo of his children's former caregiver, Diane Smarr, whom he describes in the book as "sent by the gods to enrich and transform our lives."

Of course, my favorite parts of his book involve his work with children and his creation of the National Dance Institute.  He tells of how people come up to him in all kinds of places, whether in a restaurant, an airport, or on the street with comments of how their child was influenced by being involved with the NDI.  One story which he shared especially hit home for me. 

He recalled of being on a northbound train near SoHo when he noticed a "ferocious toughie" who was staring at him.  Others on the train had moved away from the menacing looking young man who soon began speaking to Mr. d'Amboise.  The young man told of how he had been a tomato in a show involving dancing vegetables.  Immediately they began reminscing about this experience and the young man was quite impressed that his former teacher had remembered him so many years later.  The man went on to say that he was no longer dancing, but was now a musician, then thanked him as the train approached his stop.

While reading this story, I began thinking about all of the children I have had the great pleasure of working with for the past three decades.  In our fast paced society we live in today, it is easy to lose touch with those we have worked with years before and we often never see how our influence may have touched their life. 

But, I then remembered a young girl who I had worked with long ago.  She had attended a school where I taught and many of the children there had suffered some form of abuse or neglect.  This little girl was filled with rage and often threw her lunch plate across the room, sometimes at the heads of the other children.  It was heartbreaking to think of what she had endured in her life to cause such anger in such a young child.  I lost touch with her over the years, but she was always one of those children who I thought about often and wondered what had become of her life. 

One afternoon, while attending a performance of the Messiah, I noticed her name in my program as a violinist in the student orchestra.  Upon asking others in the audience who knew this young woman, she was considered a bit of a prodigy and had been accepted by our state university as a music student where she would be recieve a full scholarship the following year. My heart filled with joy knowing that this young woman had found a passion in her life. And I could see in her eyes, as she played Handel's masterpiece, a confidence not there so many years before.  Here, indeed, was another example of how the arts can truly change someone's life!

I highly recommend the book I Was A Dancer by Jacques d'Amboise.  Here is the link to read more about it: http://www.amazon.com/I-Was-A-Dancer-Jacques-DAmboise/dp/1400042348  You will find an array of interesting behind-the-scenes stories of the world of ballet, but more importantly, you will learn of the many ways Mr. d'Amboise has empowered children to strive for excellence in their lives.  You may find yourself inspired to influence a child whom you know.  And perhaps, that child's life will be changed for the better because of it!!

To find more about the NDI, here is the link: http://nationaldance.org/