Featuring: NYFA Hall of Fame Honoree Christopher d’Amboise
We’re honoring d’Amboise at our Hall of Fame Benefit on April 4, 2017
His fellow honorees are NYFA affiliated artists Ida Applebroog (Fellow in Graphics ‘86, Painting ‘90) and Lynn Nottage (Fellow in Playwriting/Screenwriting ‘94 & ‘00) and Patron of the Arts Peggy Cooper Cafritz. Stay tuned for more posts spotlighting each honoree, and find out more about NYFA’s Hall of Fame Benefit by clicking here.
Christopher d’Amboise (Fellow in Choreography ‘89)
d’Amboise was born into a family of dancers and has had many careers: dancer, choreographer, playwright, director, and educator. His work spans multiple genres and explores the integration of text, dance, music, and storytelling.
As Principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, d’Amboise worked closely with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, originating works as well as performing major repertoire. On Broadway, he co-starred with Bernadette Peters in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Song and Dance. His dance-only performance earned him a Tony nomination for “Best Featured Actor in a Musical.”
As a choreographer, d’Amboise has created over 150 works for ballet, modern dance, and musical theatre. Of those works, he has created more than 80 ballets for numerous international companies including those in San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Flanders. He was recognized with a 2015 Helen Hayes Award for outstanding Choreography in a Play for the Olney Theatre’s production of Collosal, a drama about relationships, football, and self-discovery.
As a writer, d’Amboise has created original works for the stage. His latest show, Secret Notes at Barnes and Noble is a contemporary musical that’s currently under option. Other projects in the works include REVIVAL, a “backstage” musical currently in development with collaborators Michael Paternostro, Paige Price, and Kelly Crandall, and a new musical about Fred and Adele Astaire titled, Hang Onto Me.
d’Amboise has directed and managed several arts organizations. As President/CEO and Artistic Director of Pennsylvania Ballet, he notably launched the unprecedented “Save the Ballet Campaign,” raising $2.5 million from 10,000 Philadelphia residents in two weeks, and subsequently led the company through four successful seasons.
He’s currently at Moving Story, a production company he founded that supports innovative dance-driven projects in film, theater, dance, literature, and performance art. He also holds the position of Heritage Professor at George Mason University where he teaches dance, choreography, and music studies. His secret passions are writing songs and playing the trumpet.
Images: Courtesy of Christopher d’Amboise
