Final Reflection

Growing up, I've always had a persistent thought in the back of my mind about what I want to do with my life, and I've always known deep down that I wanted to be a choreographer. What better way to get a glimpse into the future than to work as an intern at my dance studio? This way, I'll be able to see if this is how I want my future to be. In addition, due to the pandemic, my dance teacher has lost a lot of her staff, and I knew she truly needed the extra support.

Going into this project, I had a few objectives in mind, including acquiring real-world experience, building relationships, lending a helping hand, and learning a valuable lesson. In the end, I believe I was successful in achieving all of my aspirations. First, I was able to put my abilities and talents to good use by assisting in the creation of combos for dancers of all ages. I was able to teach what I understood as a result of my dance education, making the dances appropriate but challenging for each age group. I was also able to try new things and push myself, and I had a great experience assisting the dancers and myself in our growth. After that, I was able to put my artistic skills to use by assisting in the creation of posters, signs, banners, advertisements, and other informational materials for the upcoming recital. The Monopoly slides for the recital were one of my favorites to make. I created slides with a design that includes Monopoly cards from the actual game and a slide that can be seen clearly by everyone in the auditorium using the website Canva. It was a time-consuming project, but I had a great time working on it. Finally, I was able to complete some smaller housekeeping duties around the studio as well as tasks for the 2022-2023 year. My mentors supplied me with detailed descriptions for these smaller tasks, which made it easy for me to complete them and learn something new about what happens outside of the "real dance" aspect. It was interesting since it was like working in an office: answering the phone, creating spreadsheets, creating documents, assisting customers, supporting teachers, running errands, and doing some additional cleaning in the studio. It may be difficult to partner with my dance studio because the dance world is so small, especially within Hawken, but anyone who is involved with dance and choreography might be a huge help to a small business like a dance studio. This type of business, however, could utilize anyone with abilities such as being able to work with technology and people of all ages.

My advice to rising seniors and anyone considering a Hawken project is to pursue something you enjoy and will benefit from. You will not enjoy these three weeks if you do something you are hesitant to do or have to force yourself to get out of bed to do. Moreover, don't be scared to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new; it will improve your project and teach you a lot about yourself that you didn't know before. Finally, don't be scared to seek assistance and ask questions; it will make your experience much better and easier!

I am so appreciative of these past few weeks. Especially when my mentor came over to thank me for everything I'd done for her. She told me that the month leading up to recital is the most stressful and chaotic time of the year, with a lot of work to be done. Michelle expressed her gratitude to me for being able to assist her through this difficult time, as well as for the person I've grown into as a result of this project. She expressed delight at the chance to work with me and learn more about me outside of dance. Michelle complimented me on my ability to teach classes and combos, and she said my choreography is truly unique. I'm overjoyed that I was able to complete my project with the people I care about most and the sport I cherish. Michelle's hugging and constant praising made my heart so happy. I assured her I'd be here for her whenever she needed me, as well as when things get extremely stressful again. This has been an incredible learning opportunity, and I am thankful for the opportunity to help.

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