Marian M. Zak

Founder & Former President for 25 years

Marian Zak, choreographer, is a graduate of the State Ballet School in Warsaw, Poland. He received M.S. from Polytechnic Institute in Krakow, Poland and M.A. from New York University, NY, USA. He has received acknowledgments from the highest ranking theaters and arts institutions of his native Poland. He was the principal dancer with the Krakow Opera, and the Silesian State Opera, where he directed and choreographed. He was also a founder of Dance Theater Silva Rerum which was very successful throughout the whole Poland. In 1989, he immigrated to America where he choreographed off Broadway and for Polish & Slavic Annual Festivals. He was also the School Director of the New Dance Group Studio and a Fellow Teacher at New York University

Jakub Polaczyk 

Former vice president and Artistic Director

 Jakub Polaczyk (b.1983) is a Polish-American composer, pianist, and pedagogue. He graduated from the Penderecki Music Academy, Jagiellonian University and Carnegie Mellon University. He studied with: Krzysztof Penderecki, Marcel Chyrzyński, Marek Chołoniewski, Reza Vali, Jan van Landeghem. He resides in New York City and is an advocate for contemporary music. As the former director of the International Chopin and Friends Festival, Polaczyk has launched international new music composition “New Vision” (2018-2023). As a radio broadcaster, he presents contemporary and classical music side by side to audiences in New York City and Chicago. As a member of the faculty at the New York Conservatory of Music, he teaches composition, music theory and piano performance. Polaczyk’s works have won numerous top awards and recognitions, including “Best Instrumental Album” by Clouzine Magazine (2024),  Top prizes on the WOMCO International Online Composition Competitions (2023/2024).  Third Prize at the Wolfgang Amadeus International Composition Award in Vienna (September 2023), Golden Diploma on the Musical Eagles Award in Poland (2023), Silver Medal on the Global Music Awards in USA (2023), winning: commission by Composers Guild of New Jersey (2022), American Prize in Composition – Chamber Music (2020), SIMC International Compositional Competition for Harpsichord in Milan (2019), the Iron Composer First Prize in Cleveland, Ohio (2013) and Orion Orchestral Composition Competition in London (2010). In 2024 he was the Runner-up for the John Easton Composition Competition organized by the New York Composers Circle. His compositions have been performed and broadcasted around the world. In the United States, Polaczyk’s works have been performed at composer conferences and music festivals in most states and have been premiered at: the Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kaufman Center in NYC. Additionally, his works have been performed in most Europeans countries. A few of the ensembles that performed his music include: Avanti, Slee Sinfonietta, NeoQuartet, Argus Quartet, Cracow Duo, NED Milano, Blow Up Percussion Rome, Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble Belfast, Cracow Golden Woodwind Quintet, Four Corners, Avanti Ensemble, Bulgaria National Orchestra, Hanoi Philharmonics National Orchestra, Brazil National Orchestra, Janacek Symphony Orchestra, Tacoma Wind Ensemble, Coro Volante and the Carnegie Contemporary Ensemble. Jakub Polaczyk is a Steinway & Sons partner and his music is published by: Donemus, PWM and Babel scores and his music was released by: Albany Records and Ablaze Records. He also  lectured at: Escola De Música de Brasilia (2019), Wheaton College in Chicago (2020), Iowa Community College in Des Moines (2020), Gonzaga University (2021), University of Nevada Las Vegas (2022), University of Washington in Seattle (2023), University of Kentucky (2024), University of Louisville (2024). As a pianist collaborated with many international artists: Christine Walevska, Pein Wen, Nadia Rodriguez, Kofi Hayford, Justyna Giermola, Sarah Lucero, Roberto Vasquez, Marta Płomińska, Ivan Ivanov, Wojtek Komsta, Sylwia Olszyńska and Dominika Zamara and ballet companies in NYC metropolitan area and National Opera of Krakow. Documentary about life of Jakub Polaczyk directed by Dennis Woytek “Conversation With Jakub Polaczyk” won bronze at the 43rd Telly Awards in New York (2023). Artist was awarded multiple scholarships in Poland and abroad. In 2023 in NYC the artist was awarded the highest decoration by the Minister of Culture of Poland: The Gloria Artis Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture of Poland. In 2024 Poland was also awarded decoration by the Mayor of the city of Stary Sàcz and was the recipient of “Great-Local-Global: Cultural Passport”.  

For more details, please visit https://www.jakub.polaczyk.com. 

Xiaoyin (Shell) Li 

Former Board Member 

Shell, is a NYC based architectural designer & educator. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California – Berkeley. She was a recipient of the prestigious Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship, and the Michael Ho Memorial Travel Scholarship, which supported her semester study abroad at U.C. Rome Center in Italy. Shell obtained her Master of Architecture from the University of Kentucky College of Design, where she received the Graduate Scholarship and served as a Teaching Assistant in architectural history and design studios. Additionally, she conducted an independent study to research on performing arts architecture – a focus of her intellectual endeavor. In 2016, Shell participated in the Institute for Public Architecture (IPA) Fellowship and contributed to the discourse on live/work units for the NYC workforce from the perspective of Loft Law.

Shell has worked professionally in both architectural practice and academia. She served as a Program Coordinator and subsequently the Program Manager at Syracuse University School of Architecture’s NYC Program from 2014 – 2019. She also taught the Field Studies in NYC Urbanism & Architecture course in the program, taking students on urban field trips exploring and analyzing the contemporary urban issues in NYC. Shell has worked in China and US at various architectural offices, most recently as a Project Manager at Cheung Showman Architects based in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Beyond her professional life, Shell had sung with the Cecilia Chorus of New York, hosted Meet-Up workshops to paint music, and designed installations that bring all her passions together. Her multimedia installation– Two and A Half Pianos – in collaboration with composer Jakub Polaczyk, was exhibited at the 17^th Annual International Chopin & Friends Festival. Since 2024 Xiaoyin has been the founder & CEO at Highly Sensitive Design.

Ahmed Wafik

Former Board Member

Ahmed Wafik is a multifaceted architect and urban designer with a profound appreciation for the arts. His extensive career has produced a diverse portfolio of projects, from residential to commercial, seamlessly blending aesthetic vision with functional design. Wafik holds a PhD in Architecture Engineering with additional degrees in Urban Design and Community Development, and he has also taught at Parsons School of Design and St. John’s University. Beyond his architectural accomplishments, Wafik is a dedicated arts patron who has served on the board of New York Dance & Arts Innovations Inc. and continues to contribute as a board advisor. His commitment to enriching the cultural landscape is clear through both his support of the arts and his creation of inspiring spaces.

Anna Zak

Former Board Member

Anna Zak’s dedication to the arts is evident through her extensive involvement with NYDAI since its inception. Over the years, she has served NYDAI as a volunteer, Master of Ceremonies, program coordinator, secretary of the board of directors, and now as an advisory board member. Her advocacy extends to civic engagement and social justice, backed by over two decades of diverse domestic and international experience in the nonprofit, government, and education sectors.

Currently, Anna serves as the Head of Internships and Experiential Learning at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies. She has also held leadership roles at St. John’s University, where she directed the Academic Service-Learning programs both locally and internationally.

Anna is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at St. John’s University. As an emerging expert in Experiential Learning, Study Abroad, and Virtual Exchange, her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international academic conferences.

Anna’s academic achievements also include a Master of Public Administration in nonprofit management and international policy from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts from Long Island University, and a Teaching Certification from The College of New Jersey’s Global Program in Cairo, Egypt. She is licensed by the State of New Jersey to teach at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Originally from Poland, Anna’s global experiences have profoundly shaped her perspective, having lived, studied, and worked across continents, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. She currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with her husband and two sons, and enjoys exploring the New York City arts scene.