Once Again With SOUL-stice: NDI Brightens the Darkest Night of the Year
Kristin Satterlee reports on the National Dance Institute of New Mexico and previews its annual SOUL-stice Jam.
by Kristin Satterlee
This holiday season, you’re invited to National Dance Institute of New Mexico’s SOUL-stice Jam and Bazaar, on Dec. 21 from 2 pm to 8 pm.
What is the National Dance Institute (NDI)?
While primarily known for its dance classes at the Hiland Theater in Albuquerque and The Dance Barns in Santa Fe, NDI serves children statewide, many of whom never set foot in those facilities. NDI brings in-school dance programming to 90 schools in 29 communities around New Mexico, and expects to serve 8,000 kids this year, 67% of whom qualify for federal free-lunch programs.
Cat Vanderpool, NDI Events Manager, explains: “We serve predominantly low-income public schools, focusing on serving communities that are the most in need for arts education. … rural areas and areas that quite honestly have no arts education anymore.”
Teaching More than Dance
For kids who want to learn more, classes at NDI are provided on a sliding fee scale and dance shoes are provided for students to use at no cost. “We try to instill in our kids to not give up, to really develop discipline and that mentality of even if you do fail, you have the opportunity to get back up and try again.”
Through dance, NDI New Mexico teaches what they call their Core Four principles: Work Hard, Do Your Best, Never Give Up, and Be Healthy. “We're really helping children build core skills in order to be successful in anything they do in life, not just dance,” says Vanderpool.
Sharing the Hiland Theater with the Community
In Albuquerque, NDI’s home is the historic Hiland Theater, which celebrates its 75th anniversary next year. When NDI converted the theater to dance studios, it took over connected retail and office space, leading to “a massive space” with 8 dance studios as well as the theater. “We really are proud of it,” Vanderpool says. “So we're very excited to show it off and interact more with our community. … About 2 years ago, we started a committee called Activating the Highland, looking at opportunities for how we can serve as a community space within the International District.”
NDI hopes to be a “welcoming home” in the neighborhood, focusing on dance but also looking at other public-art-focused programming and space sharing.
Opening the Doors to Dance
Sharing with the community is the focus of the SOUL-stice Jam and Bazaar. “We want people to see this as not only a safe space, but a community space where they can have activities and events.” The event will feature local vendors, a giveaway of holiday meals for the first 100 people to arrive, and, of course, dance!
Dance teams of kids 9 to 14 years old will perform, and the event will end with a breakdance jam. “Probably a dozen to two dozen breakers will come and battle. All age groups. People in their twenties, and some students who are… 8, 9 years old.” Vanderpool promises that it will be “just absolutely incredible to watch, let me tell you. Phenomenal. That'll be the finale.”