What it means to be a Creator, Innovator, Risk-taker, Collaborator, Learner, and Dancer, at Core Dance

This last month, Core Dance has had the pleasure of having Jackie Hynson as our Communications Intern. Before she concluded her internship, Jackie took a moment to reflect on all that she learned during her time in our office. The image below is an example of a graphic that she designed, and in her blog post below she elaborates on the different projects and observations she made as a Core Dance team member.

The description that Core Dance gives to their business is simple yet effective in communication: “Core Dance, an award-winning contemporary dance company with global reach, creates, performs, and produces compelling original dance that ignites the creative spirit and actively encourages participation and conversation with the community. Founded in 1980. Creators. Innovators. Risk-takers. Collaborators. Learners. Dancers.”

During my internship at Core Dance, I have witnessed this mission trickle down in the office space that is upholding their artistic endeavors. The time has flown by and I am grateful for the time I have spent at Core Dance. From designing flyers to researching Google AdWords, I feel as though I have dipped my tasting spoon into each varying factor of what it is like to communicate for the art of dance. True to their mission, working as a Communications Intern at Core Dance has challenged me to be a better Creator, Innovator, Risk-taker, Collaborator, Learner, and Dancer.

CREATOR
    The basis of every task is creativity, the type that comes with a thought out ingenuity. Without this mindset, your communication to your audience will turn out boring and repetitive. Communication must be handled by the words and actions of an artist. From creating logos that boldly speak the strength and mission, to flyers that cohesively promote the diversity of opportunities organized by Core Dance, to posts on social media with a voice of engagement to your community, all of these communication tasks must come from a basis of creativity.

INNOVATOR.
    New methods, ideas, or products are essential to progress and growth of a business. As a communicator for the arts, you are faced with innovation on a daily basis. How can we form new methods of promoting this art to a greater audience? One way I grew in this area at Core Dance was researching Google AdWords & Analytics. Although it was on the more technical side of the job, it was a necessary method of innovation to grow the company.

RISK-TAKER.
    Have you ever tried to create something and questioned if the idea is simply farther than you can reach? My advice would be to pursue that idea--be an innovator and get a ladder to help you if you need it. Pursue this challenge because it is in this place that our products of creativity flourish. Even elements of design need to be risky in order to create something new.

COLLABORATOR.
I have come to adore this word in the past year. How beautifully humbling and joyful it is to be able to admit your weaknesses and to encourage those who carry those same things as their natural strength. Collaboration builds community and I see Core Dance fostering that so well in their office environment. Ideas are bouncing like ping-pong balls across the open office space daily and each person carries their own strength in this space that is vital to the organization.

LEARNER.
    Let me tell you, YouTube and Google have been my best friends this month. There were many times when I was given a task to simply learn about a program or set up an application in a more efficient way and I would learn and implement my knowledge that day. Although challenging at times, I readily enjoyed simply being told to learn. I so appreciated the way Core Dance used this time of my internship to impart as much practical knowledge to me as possible. This will continue to be beneficial in my future as a marketer for the arts.  

DANCER.
    This is my first love. This is my adoration. I pursued this internship because I believe in the art of dance as a means of communication of truth, good, and beauty and I am thrilled to uphold that in whatever way I can. On top of the classes I was able to take at Core Dance, I am excited to take my knowledge I have gained from this internship to serve me in my pursuit of dance.

I am grateful for this month at Core Dance and can see the knowledge imparted to me from this place having a lasting impact on my career.