Hey guys, I’m Katie… probably the one and only Intern in Dance4’s history to not drink tea!
So… now the festival has been and gone here are just some of my first experiences, thoughts and reflections of the past 10 incredible weeks I have had here at Dance4.
First Day: Was quite daunting… Meeting the team, being given my own desk and to then discover that I would actually be managing my own projects, not just assisting! Looking back however I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The experience I have gained from being given the opportunity to get stuck in, use my own initiative and develop my skills has been invaluable, and from this insight I can gladly confirm that working in this field is something I could happily do for a long time to come.
First Month: Bumping in to the Youth Strategy Manager and the Artistic Director of the company on a night out in Nottingham in your first few weeks probably isn’t the recommended way to make your first impressions! However it was reassuring to know that the team all party too! &Everyone does leave the office to let their hair down, no matter how much the work is piling on! It has also been fantastic to have Radojka and Ben here in the same position, so we were all thrown in together and experiencing the same responsibilities and stresses (not that we were ever stressed, obviously!).
First Nottdance Event: The Launch Party. Some top quality entertainment went down at Antenna from swing band Benny Lee and The Whistle Stop Five accompanied by a swing dance demo from Hayley Guest and Terry Hallett, which after a few ‘Nottdance Cocktails’ got everyone up exhibiting their best lindy-hopping moves on the dance floor!
Behind the scenes...
- Confirming a venue
- Listening to numerous band demos to find someone to fit the bill!
- Hardcore negotiating skills to stick to the budget
- By far the most strenuous job of them all… sampling Champagne, Cocktails and Canapés in preparation for the evening… somebody had to go and make the difficult decision!
- Being reversed down the steps outside the Dance4 Office by a taxi driver with a car full of equipment after the launch party was definitely an experience too!
- One event down… 3 to go!
Glorious, Rajni Shah Projects: A simply inspiring performance from Rajni and her team, as their sumptuous new musical ‘Glorious’ took to the stage at The Nottingham Arts Theatre, Involving 12 local performers and musicians who in just days committed to performing in the project and assisted in making it the success it was.
Behind the scenes...
- Finding Musicians!
- Transporting the team to Nottingham
- Creating awareness, promoting and advertising the interventions happening in The Meadows, set to aid Rajni and team to scout the perfect performers to get involved in the show!
- Arranging a preview… of the preview of Glorious! At The Walk for Light Night
- Liaising with the most encouraging and Glorious team of artists, Rajni, Helena, Suzie, Karen and Lucille, to bring this show to Nottingham!
Behind the scenes...
- Enquiring with body-builders about the possibility of hiring a Boxing Ring
- Confirming acts and groups to perform
- Compiling risk assessments and contracts
- Transporting equipment and (trying my very hardest to be useful) setting-up the performance space!
The Closing Party: Having not overspent on the Launch Party (Wheeeeey!) …this permitted the Closing Party (Wooooop!). An evening of merriment occurred in La Gitane in which the Dance4 team, artistes &friends (minus Claire who was greatly missed!) partied in to the early hours to celebrate and bid farewell to Nottdance 2011!
Behind the scenes...
- Eating the delicious Mediterranean style buffet
- Drinking wine and definitely not ordering Jager-cokes with Radojka and Ben on ‘Paul’s tab’ (Definitely Ben’s idea Paul!)
- Throwing some shapes on the dance floor whilst admiring the shapes being thrown by others!
- Wrapping up the festival and beginning this blog with a slightly sore head the next day!
I would be here all day listing the fantastic times I have had, therefore I will stop there! Keep checking the website to hear further blogs and to keep up-to-date with the latest and greatest events Dance4 have to offer across Nottingham and the East Midlands, and as I thank the Dance4 team for this amazing opportunity, I bid farewell… for now!
Katie Shipp
Nottdance Intern 2011
Hello Katie! Great to read this overview of your work. You were such a massive help with Glorious, I hope you continue to work in this field because you're a superstar!
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Helena