At the corner of the main studio and a long hallway, lined with announcements and bustling footsteps of several coworkers, lies my small desk. This was my nook for 5 months, listening to echoing rehearsal music, watching renowned dancers eagerly pour their morning coffee or petting the occasional dog-friend of the day.
I was at a stand-still, contemplating whether I wanted to pursue a major in Marketing or continue my plan as a journalist. What better way to get a glimpse at this new field while integrating a style of dance I experienced for nearly three quarters of my life? What most don’t think about is the amount of back-work that goes behind a full season. While the dancers begin learning and perfecting the new season’s repertoire, the Education, Marketing, Special Events, Patron and more departments are quickly preparing for the first day of ticket sales, membership events and future plans for the following season the next year.
Interning for the Marketing department has shown me the amount of collaboration and constant planning that goes into the looming Spring Season at the MET. Whether if it was being in charge of handling Group Sales, finding venues for upcoming events, picking up designer dresses for company dancers, mastering the art of Excel or running to the MET Opera House to unpack this season’s brochures, my internship experience has been anything but stagnant.
The weekly intern meetings further demonstrated the variety of workers and departments this one dance company holds. It was a Friday morning when all the interns were able to see the Education department bring in a group of toddlers, introducing them to the art of ballet. Watching each young dancer jump over a sticker that acted as “the dragon’s tail” and gleefully run to the other side reignited my sense of pride in being a part of an organization that works to implement dance into the lives of such young and eager children.
Working at ABT has been an experience that has introduced me into both the working environment of a traditional office and a high-intensity creative space.
Claire Ng
Marketing Intern
Spring 2019
abtinterns 
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