More than 500 student dancers and an audience of 1,700 people fill Española Valley High School Gymnasium Wednesday evening for the annual NDI End-of-Year performance. Photo by Eric Vasquez/valleydailypost.com

Special guests participating in Wednesday’s event include businessman Omar Sanchez, in blue t-shirt, who owns Time Out Pizzeria restaurants in Los Alamos and White Rock. Sanchez also is a retired New Mexico State Police officer and Wednesday marked his 8th year participating in the event. Photo by Eric Vasquez/valleydailypost.com

Staff Report

ESPAÑOLA – The National Dance Institute (NDI) held its final End-of-Year performance Wednesday evening at the Española Valley High School Gymnasium.

Special guests participating in Wednesday’s event were members of law enforcement, first responders and business people including Omar and Trish Sanchez who own Time Out Pizzeria restaurants in Los Alamos and White Rock. Sanchez also is a retired New Mexico State Police officer and Wednesday marked his 8th year participating in the event.

More than 500 student dancers from 16 schools in the Española and Pojoaque school districts performed in front of an audience of 1,700 people. NDI is completing its 21st season of operations and 17th year in Northern New Mexico. The northern program began in 1998 in Pojoaque.

In 1999, the program served four schools and 270 children. According to the NDI website, the NDI North Program provides dance classes as part of the regular school curriculum to 546 children and 29 teachers in 10 rural and 1 Bureau of Indian Education elementary schools in Northern New Mexico. At the end of the school year, 500 students come together to perform for 7,200 friends, family and community members. The North Program serves communities in the Greater Española Valley and Pojoaque.

NDI New Mexico also offers three hours of advanced training Saturdays to 100 students through its Super Wonderful Advanced Team (SWAT) for ages 9 to 12 and Celebration Team for 12- to 15- year-olds. These young people joined NDI New Mexico’s in-school students for the year-end community performances and act as role models for their younger peers.

This year’s performance was titled “Imagine the Possibilities! A celebration of reading” and included 25 performances with a book and reading theme.

See more photos here.