As a recent college graduate with no previous intern experience, I was so ecstatic to be asked to intern with ABT that I did my “happy dance” which soon became a running joke throughout the semester. I was happy dancing in the office, throughout the streets of beautiful Manhattan, and even at the Fall Gala!
My time at ABT has been extremely wonderful. Not only was I trusted with important tasks from the beginning, but I was welcomed with open arms from all staff members and fellow interns. As an intern for the National Training Curriculum, I was able to help create certificates for Certified Teachers and distribute plaques to Affiliate Teachers. I have emailed individuals helping with issues and towards the end of the semester was able to interact with NYU Master Program students as they completed their first examination for Pre-Primary through Level 3. I was trusted with handing out the exams, making sure everyone followed the rules, collecting the exams, and then grading them. It was an awesome feeling to be trusted by my mentors to handle this task and then create the certificates for everyone I interacted with because they all passed!
Some of my favorite parts of my intern experience was the special events that interns got to experience. It was amazing chaperoning the young dancers of the JKO School before their Fall Gala performance and seeing the excitement in their eyes. It was awesome interacting with the Roundabout Theatre Company apprentices and meeting other individuals in a similar position in life as me. I was so happy to be asked to attend professional performances both from ABT and the Roundabout Theatre Company and even got to participate in the Young People’s Ballet Workshop, which is one of the educational outreach programs offered by ABT.
The best part of this entire experience was meeting everyone involved at ABT and learning that the organization is more than just it’s professional company. ABT is doing amazing things to help diversify ballet and make sure that ballet is around for years and years to come. Through my internship at American Ballet Theatre I fell in love with ballet all over again.
Alyssa Kemper
National Training Curriculum Intern
Fall 2014
The David H. Koch Theater before the performance
A view from my seat
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