“My Summer Intership at CDC” by Joy Heller

In Chen Dance Center News

Hi!  My name is Joy Heller (2nd from right), and I’m a junior at Haverford College, a small liberal arts school located outside of Philadelphia, PA.  This summer, with support from Haverford’s Center for Peace and Global Citizenship, I interned for nine weeks at Chen Dance Center, where I got a firsthand look at the management of a busy community arts organization in New York City.  Bringing art to families, local artists, and audiences, CDC packs a lot of programming into one year, and summer is a crucial time to prepare for the busy upcoming season. 

In July, I was joined by five other interns, Christie, Hong, Bei Bei, Tiffany, and Susan, all of whom attend high school in New York City, and together, we helped prepare programming for CDC’s Company, School, and Theater, as well as assisted daily operations. (Photo L to R: HT, Tracy, Christie, Hong, Bei Bei, Tiffany, Joy, Lucy)

Some of my projects included updating or redesigning organizational literature, including a 20-page study guide for Eight Strokes & the Moving Word, CDC’s popular educational program on Chinese history and culture.  My daily office responsibilities included answering phone calls, taking reservations for rehearsal space from local artists, and helping to transfer CDC’s 30-year paper history onto digital databases. 

During my internship, I had many opportunities to witness the complex process of arts funding and grant writing for CDC’s multiple projects.  In addition to informal editing of final reports and proposals, I helped write a local community grant sponsored by the Bank of America for support of Eight Strokes & the Moving Word.

The high school interns worked together on a project for the School, making chiffon dance skirts for students. “For each skirt, we had to trace an outline, cut it out and sew it, and finally attach a ribbon belt,” said Christie Reyes.  “This was my first time sewing, and I got a lot of practice working with people.”

Living and working in New York City meant that every day might carry a hidden surprise, and I rarely had a typical day at the office.  I truly realized this when I found myself warming up in the studio, helping to audition male dancers for the upcoming season!  My time with Chen Dance Center gave me an appreciation for the deeper layers of teamwork, tenacity, good humor, and dedication that stand behind every moment of performance.  Thanks to Dian, HT, Lucy, and Tracy for welcoming me and the other interns into the office and sharing with us their knowledge and experiences.  CDC showed me an inspired brand of community arts advocacy, devoted to getting art to new audiences and nurturing creative voices, and I won’t forget it anytime soon! 

Back To Top