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By the light of the silvery moon. (Photo: Roland Penttila)

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Teaching Confidence Through Movement: National Dance Institute Reaches 8,000 New Mexico Students

The creative process fosters cross-cultural exchange and welcomes students from all backgrounds.

by Sequoia Rudolph

Behind the scenes, students rehearse tirelessly to make demanding choreography look effortless. (Photo: Sequoia Rudolph)

Rehearsal begins with a leap. Then another. The floor echoes with landing feet as intermediate and high school dancers pirouette and plié across the stage at the Hiland Theater (4800 Central SE). A choreographer’s voice cuts through the music: “Energy out the fingertips, not just the legs.” The dancers repeat the sequence again and again, chasing the moment when they move in unison.

The National Dance Institute (NDI) of New Mexico will soon present The NeverEnding Story at the Hiland Theater. But for generations of students across the state, the impact of NDI’s work reaches far beyond a single performance.