He joined the New York City Ballet in 1949 and was named principal dancer in 1953, and throughout his time with the company he danced 24 roles for George Balanchine.

He received the MacArthur Fellowship in 1990, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1995, and the National Medal of Arts in 1998.

[3][1] His father worked as a personal telegraph operator to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.[4]: 17  The family later moved to Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York.

[1] In 1946 his mother managed to convince the family to change their surname from Ahearn to hers, d'Amboise, as "it's aristocratic, it's French...and it's a better name".

[8] Balanchine created 24 roles for him, including Western Symphony (1954), Stars and Stripes (1958), Episodes (1959), Movements for Piano and Orchestra (1963), Jewels (1967), Who Cares (1970), Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (1980), as well the New York City Ballet 1957 revival of Balanchine's Apollo, in which d'Amboise danced the titular role.

[1][9] In 1956 he appeared in two films, Carousel as Starlight Carnival barker and The Best Things in Life Are Free.

[12] D'Amboise was the subject of Emile Ardolino's documentary, He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin', which followed his works with the National Dance Institute.

[1] In 1986 he appeared in the Disney film, Off Beat, with his character teaching dance to New York City police.