Intern & Volunteer Positions
From time to time, the Foundation is able to extend rewarding internship opportunities to outstanding candidates. Please know that we are not able to offer a stipend, housing, or any other type of compensation; we do work with schools so that interns can receive academic credit and all interns and volunteers are able to take classes at the Ailey Extension at no charge. In the past, we have had high school, college and graduate student interns and we have been able to offer experiences in Marketing, Development, Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, Finance, Information Technology, Production, and The Ailey Extension. At times we also need help from volunteers. Please review our website to learn more about The Ailey organization and our programs.
To apply for an internship or to volunteer your time, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to volunteers@alvinailey.org and type “Internships and Volunteer Opportunities” in the subject line. Please include the time period during which you would like to intern, the number of hours a week you would be available, and the departments with which you are most interested in working. Please also indicate whether you are eligible for academic credit or you will receive a stipend from your academic institution or related organization.
Please know that we receive many requests and will do our best to promptly respond to all applicants.
Marketing Group Sales Intern (Spring)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world’s premier dance institutions that also includes the acclaimed Ailey II company, is seeking motivated and personable interns to assist the Group Sales Department. We are looking for interns who are available to start in January and work through May 2013. Preference will be given to candidates that can be in the office three days a week, with exact hours to be determined.
Responsibilities include:
- Assist Group Sales Manager in the campaign for our Ailey II season, representing Ailey to our highly valued patrons, acting as an integrated member of Ailey's External Affairs Team
- Conduct market research
- Assist with invoicing and communication to group sales ticket buyers
- Assist in any office and day-to-day tasks
- Some event staffing and performance coverage in the month of March
- Interest in Sales or Arts Administration; prior knowledge or experience in these areas is useful but not necessary
- Interest and/or experience in the Performing Arts or Dance
- Comfortable with patron engagement, have an excellent attitude and demeanor on the phones and in-person – calling potential patrons from an existing database is a vital part of the position
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced work environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Ailey Extension Interns
The Ailey Extension, the largest facility dedicated to dance in NYC, is seeking two motivated and personable interns to assist the Extension Department for positions in Finance, Group Visits and Administration from January through the end of May 2013 for various Extension workshops and events.
Intern Responsibilities Include:
- Assist in scheduling, invoicing, payment processing, and greeting group that visit our studios
- Aid Financial Assistant in special financial projects, report preparation and other various tasks
- Assist in daily sales reconciliations, data entry and client sales reports
- Assist front end Extension staff in excellent customer service through use of our Mind Body system
- Assist with daily day-to-day operations
- Candidate should be comfortable with client and group engagement, have an excellent attitude and demeanor on the phones and in-person, thorough knowledge of all Microsoft Office software, be a multi-tasker, flexible and should thrive in a fast paced and professional work environment
Please know that we are not able to offer a stipend, housing, or any other type of compensation; we work with schools so that interns can receive academic credit and we offer free dance and fitness classes to our interns.
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Legal Internship
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world’s premier dance institutions that also includes Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Arts-in-Education and Community Programs and The Ailey Extension, is seeking a legal intern to assist the Legal and HR Departments.
Responsibilities include:
- Streamlining our permissions, photo releases, trade mark licensing, and copyright licensing processes.
- Researching best practices on intellectual property management in other performing arts organizations.
- Making recommendations to IT for an online categorizing and approval system.
- Developing protocols for organizing company contracts.
- Assistance with reviewing standard agreements, policies and handbooks.
- General legal file organization and contract management including process recommendations.
- Other legal research and writing projects as assigned.
- Second or Third year law students able to work 15-20 hours per week.
- Interest and/or experience reviewing contracts.
- Interest and/or experience in the Performing Arts or Dance.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced work environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Marketing Department Interns
This winter/spring, the Marketing Department seeks a detailed oriented, high energy intern to assist us with General Marketing related projects. We are looking for an intern who is able to work approximately 3 days a week starting immediately through May 2013
Intern will:
- Work with various Marketing team members for Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation’s many programs including but not limited to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Arts-in-Education and Community Programs, and Ailey Extension
- Create updated versions of AileyCamp materials (handbooks, invitations…)
- Assist with program layout, review, and copy editing
- Generate reports and assist with interviews and content for social media purposes
- Update web & e-blast content
- Assist with basic office day-to-day tasks
Candidates for this marketing internship should be familiar with basic computer hardware and software including Photoshop, InDesign, Final Cut Pro, HTML (or the ability to learn editing programs quickly). Intern applicants should have excellent writing and copy editing skills. Candidates should also be comfortable with patron engagement, a multi-tasker, highly motivated, and thrive in a high-energy, professional work environment. Some marketing/sales experience and knowledge of dance is a plus.
Please know that we are not able to offer a stipend, housing, or any other type of compensation. However, interns receive free Ailey Extension dance and fitness classes. We also work with schools so that interns can receive academic credit.
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, days/hours, etc.)
In the subject line of your email please indicate “Marketing Internship”
Public Relations Interns
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world’s premier dance institutions that also includes Ailey II, The Ailey School, Ailey Arts-in-Education and Community Programs and The Ailey Extension, is seeking motivated and personable interns to assist the Public Relations Department for positions in General PR and Video Specialist from September through December 2012 for our annual City Center season.
Responsibilities include:
- Working with database of media contacts, writing and editing press releases, creating press materials and press kits, maintaining press coverage of the organization, and researching media outlets for potential coverage opportunities
- Updating Online press room website regularly with photos, press coverage, and press releases
- General administrative support
- Event staffing when appropriate
- Interest in Public Relations/Communications or Arts Administration; prior knowledge or experience in these areas is useful but not necessary
- Interest and/or experience in the Performing Arts or Dance
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced work environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Development Internship - (Special Events & Patron Relations)
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, one of the world’s premier dance institutions, is seeking a motivated and personable intern to assist the Development Department in the areas of Special Events and Patron Relations from September through January 31, 2013 for our annual New York City Center season.
Intern Responsibilities Include:
- Assist the Special Events team with the planning of Ailey’s Opening Night Gala Benefit, including:
- Mailing of Gala invitations, tickets, etc.
- Celebrity solicitation and coordination
- Gift bag item solicitation and coordination
- General office and day-to-day tasks - Assist the Patron Relations team, including:
- Prospect research
- Database management
- Invitation mailings
- General office and day-to-day tasks - Candidate should be comfortable with patron engagement, have an excellent attitude and demeanor on the phone and in-person, thorough knowledge of all Microsoft Office software, be able to multi-task, and should thrive in a high-energy, professional work environment. Experience with Raiser’s Edge and donor management software is also a plus.
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest in an internship at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Archives Assistant
Volunteer needed to help with organization of the Archives(primarily 50 years for videotapes and programs) for Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. Ideal candidate will have an interest in dance, a strong sense of organization and attention to detail, as well as good computer and typing skills. Some supervision will be provided, but intern will need to work independently. Hours flexible. To apply please submit your cover letter and resume to Dominique Singer.
Information Technology Intern
Unique internship opportunity for computer-science students with interests in desktop and server applications, hardware setup and troubleshooting, networking, database design and management, or web maintenance and programming.
Information Technology interns at Ailey may:
- Assist IT staff with computer setup, maintenance and troubleshooting (both PC and Mac)
- Assist IT staff with Cisco network administration and Windows server management
- Assist IT staff with management of Cisco VoIP telephone system
- Assist Database Manager with database design, customization and management (MS SQL)
- Assist Ailey staff with use of MS Office, Sharepoint and other applications
Candidates for IT internships should have experience with basic computer hardware, Windows XP operating system, and MS Office programs. Knowledge of Windows Server 2003, Linux, HTML, ASP and/or SQL is a plus. Computer science students with a secondary interest in dance or the performing arts are especially encouraged to apply. Please spend some time on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater website to familiarize yourself with the organization, then email your resume and a cover letter detailing why you would like to intern at Ailey, with the subject line "IT Internship."
Production Database Intern
Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, one of the world’s premier dance institutions including the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, the Ailey School, Ailey Arts-in-Education and Community Programs and the Ailey Extension, is seeking a motivated and personable intern to assist the Production Department. We are offering a unique internship opportunity for library science students interested in dance history dating back to as early as the 1960s and rights clearances in the performing arts.
Production Database Intern will help with the organization, research and input of information into a performance history database. Ideal candidate will have good computer and typing skills, a strong sense of organization and attention to detail as well as excellent research skills applicable across analog and digital resources in the production department as well as the foundation’s archive. An interest in dance history is a plus. Some supervision will be provided, but intern must be able to work independently. Hours are flexible.
To apply for this internship please provide:
- Resume
- Cover letter detailing your interest and relevant skills pertaining to this internship
- Contact information for two references
- Availability (start and end dates, hours per week, etc.)
Please send materials by email to ccollura@alvinailey.org
Please know that we are not able to offer a stipend, housing, or any other type of compensation; we do work with schools so that interns can receive academic credit and all interns are able to take classes at the Ailey Extension at no charge.
Ailey Extension Team Members
Come join the Ailey Extension Team! The Ailey Extension seeks part-time Sales Assistants for its program of dance and fitness classes designed for the general public, as well as open classes through The Ailey School.
Sales Assistants will be responsible for:
- Registering new students, selling classes to students, and signing students into class
- Distributing class schedules
- Responding to inquiries about classes and techniques both in person and on the telephone
- Reconciling the cash register after her or his shift.
- Serving as a guide for all students.
- Assisting with other special tasks during shift
Shifts are in three to four-hour blocks, between 9am to 9pm Monday through Friday and 9am to 7pm on the weekends.
Skills and Experience: excellent customer service skills a must, computer and technologically-savvy; fantastic customer service skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment; knowledge of dance; prior retail experience; and knowledge of MindBody software a plus. Must be able to commit for at least 3 months.
Compensation: The compensation arrangement is work-hours in exchange for free classes.
To apply, download an application and mail along with a cover letter and resume to Ailey Staff Coordinator, The Ailey Studios, Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019 or fax to 212-405-9007. Alternatively, you may fill out the application and email a scanned version along with your resume and cover letter.
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