Hear from MMDG interns about their experience

Interns attend the dress rehearsal for MMDG's performances at Mostly Mozart Festival in July 2019.

Interns are essential to the Mark Morris Dance Group community. Each intern works in a specific administrative department and receives direct supervision, contributing to the department’s projects and learning about the day-to-day responsibilities of running a cultural organization.

Hear from former interns about the impact of their internships at MMDG.

“I worked with different members of the Development team, so no two days were the same. My projects included helping edit grant applications and reports, researching prospective donors, and database entry. I also learned about the history of MMDG, what kind of an institution MMDG wishes to develop into in the future, and how being a single-choreographer institution that really focuses on community engagement affects all of that. 

Since I interned at MMDG after my first year in college, it was my first internship, and I was a lot younger than most other interns. I was a bit anxious to meet other people and to live in New York for the first time, coming from California. However, MMDG was a great place to help me figure out whether I wanted to pursue a career in the arts and to develop strong interpersonal skills communicating with colleagues in an office setting. The environment allowed me to have a strong work/life balance, which is now something I want to seek out in the future.”

-Christina Dong

Development Intern, Summer 2019

"My internship at MMDG tremendously helped hone my ability to tackle problems from a 'big picture' perspective. A lot of what I did with the Operations team revolved around the question, 'how can this be done better?' Answering that question required not just creativity in coming up with solutions but also a lot of research into why something was being done a certain way. Oftentimes there was a crucial piece of information I was unaware of and I had to rely on my Operations team members to guide me. Now I am pursuing a career as a producer, and am currently producing two off-off-Broadway productions, and everyday when facing a new problem I apply those lessons I learned at MMDG. I am forever grateful for the trust they showed in me by allowing me to create and implement solutions on a broad scale."

-Henry Lombino
Operations Intern, Spring 2019

Several former interns have also joined the MMDG staff in full- and part-time positions. Hear from three about their ongoing experiences at MMDG.

“My internship gave me hands-on experience of what it is like to work in the finance department of an arts organization. I had the opportunity to improve upon my computer skills and have hands-on experience with the finance software. I gained certain skills that my school did not teach me. I felt that the work that I put in really assisted the finance department to prepare for their most stressful time of the year. I love when my work makes even the slightest impact and I can see that I make an impact at MMDG. I am glad that I found an internship that combines my love for finance and the arts, and I am grateful that I am able to continue this work.”

-Jamaelya Hines; Finance Assistant

Finance Intern, Summer and Fall 2019

“During my internship, I was introduced to the Education Department’s staff. Not only did the team offer mentorship and support during the start of my career, but also the opportunity to observe what each of their roles entail, as well as how their working styles come together to form a dynamic team. With this experience, I was able to naturally become an addition to the team. As I continued to grow, I learned what it is I can uniquely offer to our dynamic while maintaining the working systems of the team. 

Over time, my role in the department has evolved. In my previous positions as an intern, then as an assistant, I learned about the education programs from multiple perspectives. Now that I’m in a position that oversees a program, I can make more informed decisions using what I’ve learned about the Dance Center and our community as a whole.”

-Jessica Pearson; Adult Programs Manager

Education Intern, Spring and Fall 2016

"My MMDG internship gave me direction within arts administration, my college major, by introducing me to the day-to-day work of Dance Center operations and company management. Though I learned a lot of valuable information and skills in both departments, I found company management to be more suitable to me personally. Company management involves planning all of the logistics for a traveling and performances in a manner that is as efficient and comfortable for everyone as possible.

My experience as an intern helped me to understand how all parts of the organization work together. I gained insight into the best ways to share information with others based on their needs, making me a better coworker and teammate. Additionally, getting to know people within the organization as an intern made me more comfortable here and ultimately helped me decide to accept a staff position when one was offered to me. In my role now, building and maintaining personal relationships with individuals is important to continued success, and having a strong base from when I was an intern allowed for that growth to happen."

-Julia Weber; Assistant Company Manager

Operations and Company Management Intern, Spring 2016

Applications for Summer 2020 internships will be open March 2 through April 5. Visit our website or contact Tiffany McCue, Operations Coordinator for more information.