Photo by Simon Gentry, CoreoLab 2019
On my first day of my internship, Sharon, Core Dance’s Production Manager, asked me to help her with a task. We then loaded every folding chair we could find into the back of her pick-up truck, chatting as we did this, getting to know one another. She later took the chairs to 7 Stages to load-in for American Playground and The Third Dance. Even though I was the Communications intern this spring, I got to work throughout the office. In this instance, it was all hands on deck during show week. Everyone is a team, looking to help in any way they can.
I decided to intern for Core Dance to reenter the arts administration world during a period of transition in my life. I expected to do some small tasks for Sydney, Core Dance’s Publications Manager, and just kind of assist in the background of the organization. I was surprised, and delighted, to find myself taking the lead on projects and bigger assignments. I created flyers on Photoshop for EnCore Dance on Film and DIG Summer Intensive. I created a variety of Instagram stories to advertise for DIG, Teens Activate, and Lunchtime in the Studio. I was solely in charge of a massive project on Core’s email lists. I wrote several blog posts within the first weeks in the office. Though Sydney had the final say, she let me freely create with my own ideas. In previous jobs and internships, it was much more rigid and I was given a lot less freedom. Though I am primarily a dancer, I do enjoy being creative in other outlets as well, and Core gave me the chance to express that side of my brain and further develop marketable skills. I love working to promote an organization that I care about.
I was in the office during a variety of programming including American Playground and The Third Dance, the Coreolab with Niv and Oren, Lunchtime in the Studio, As The Shadows Grow Longer, the Poland Project, and Field Day. During all of this, we continued to plan for events this summer! With this programming across the globe, the company travels a lot. I noticed in the office the multitasking that had to be done in order to stay on top of everything. We had to make sure we were promoting upcoming events abroad, while still sharing what we were up to in our Houston and Atlanta locations. While the Dance Artists were in Poland, we wanted to keep everyone informed with what was happening there, but also had to plan and share upcoming events such as Lunchtime in the Studio and Field Day. Throughout all of this, we had to keep in mind events further in the future such as our summer intensives.
It was a great experience to intern for Core Dance, and I will miss coming into the office. The people behind this organization are wonderful and I loved joining their little office for a little while.