by Margot Locker
“I don’t like the word education, it implies an end. I like ‘learning,’ as it is ongoing.” These words spoken by Jacques d’Amboise at the Harvard Graduate School of Education began a passionate hour and a half long talk by the long-time New York City Ballet principal and National Dance Institute founder. D’Amboise was visiting to discuss his ideas on arts and education in between stops on his book tour, celebrating the release of his autobiography, I am a Dancer.
D’Amboise’s talk left me feeling inspired by his passion and his connections to GoodWork. He touched on the link between engagement and excellence in work and the responsibility all individuals should feel to give back. His impressive career provides many examples of GoodWork in action.
D’Amboise confirmed the importance of engagement in all areas of life, as his success in ballet and teaching art is a testament to the significance of loving what you do. D’Amboise’s love for dancing came through clearly during his talk, and he made it explicit that if you do not love what you are doing, there is no point in doing it. Time well spent in his mind, is time working to achieve your dreams. Engagement is a key ingredient to success and happiness (as seen in d’Amboise’s case) as without it, you will struggle to find excellence or meaning in what you do. He spoke with enthusiasm and reverence for the art form, and more broadly, described how important it is to have excitement for and commitment to your life and work. He entertained the audience with a tale of the birth of wonder, and how it continues to play a part in his learning and his hopes for learners – both young and old – to continue to wonder, create, and pursue their dreams.
From this deep engagement with his craft, d’Amboise showed how excellence is sought after and attained. His love for dance inspired a hard work ethic, a commitment to mastering the technical and emotional skills required in ballet, and most importantly, allowed him to continue to enjoy and excel at his work for decades. D’Amboise’s creation of the National Dance Institute is a mark of his continued efforts to bring art to students around the world. His innate sense of responsibility to the greater good (ethics) was present inhis stories of supporting his female dance partners in their careers and, more overtly, in his creation of the National Dance Institute. The NDI was founded out of d’Amboise’s feeling that if youth from all walks of life have access to discover the arts through dance, they will be able to develop excellence, self-confidence, and a feeling of achievement that will lead them to future successes in all endeavors. D’Amboise is now helping to foster passion and wonder in a new generation of dancers, students, and learners worldwide.
The hour and a half spent listening to Jacques d’Amboise was a unique experience. It seems for d’Amboise, dance is time well spent as it draws on excellence, engagement, and ethics, thus making it meaningful work for him. His energy and love for his craft was contagious. His commitment to helping children achieve excellence was inspiring.