May 4, 2021 Share Jacques d’Amboise, who combined classical elegance with all-American verve and athleticism to become one of the top male dancers at New York City Ballet, then spent more than four decades providing free dance education to countless youngsters through his National Dance Institute, has died at 86. His death was confirmed by Ellen Weinstein, director of the New York-based institute. She said the dancer and teacher had died on Sunday at his New York City home from complications of a stroke. He was surrounded by his family. Plucked for stardom at NYCB as a teenager by its legendary director, George Balanchine, d’Amboise performed with the company for about 35 years before retiring just before he turned 50. His exuberant style and dashing looks drew interest in Hollywood, where he appeared in films like “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and “Carousel.” But his real love was for the ballet stage, where he was known for iconic roles like Balanchine’s “Apollo” and the Gershwin-scored “Who Cares?”