My name is Giselle Luevanos. When I first started my summer internship at Heidi Duckler Dance, I expected something similar to a traditional office job—structured routines, repetitive tasks, and spending my days behind a desk. Instead, I found myself immersed in a creative environment where every day brought new opportunities to learn, collaborate, and connect with artists.
As the Social Media & Marketing Intern, I had the opportunity to contribute to many aspects of Heidi Ducklers’ outreach and storytelling. My responsibilities included creating Instagram posts, reels, and stories, writing captions, scheduling content, managing the social media calendar, promoting performances, and assisting with marketing. I also captured photos and videos at events, edited reels and promotional content, designed graphics in Canva, and analyzed engagement analytics to help generate content ideas.
One of my favorite parts of the internship was seeing how dance extends beyond the stage. Every performance, event, and community gathering told a story, and I learned how thoughtful digital content can help those stories reach wider audiences. Whether I was documenting an event or creating promotional materials, I felt like I was helping preserve and amplify the incredible work happening within the Heidi Duckler Dance community.
Beyond the technical skills I developed in social media marketing, I gained valuable experience in communication, networking, and creative problem-solving. Working alongside artists and arts professionals gave me insight into the many career paths within the creative sector while reinforcing the importance of collaboration and adaptability.
This internship challenged many of my expectations and gave me an appreciation for how nonprofit arts organizations work. It showed me that meaningful storytelling can strengthen communities, celebrate artists, and make the arts more accessible.
I’m incredibly grateful to the Heidi Duckler Dance team for their mentorship, encouragement, and willingness to trust me with meaningful projects throughout the summer. This experience has strengthened both my confidence and my passion for marketing within the arts, and I look forward to carrying these lessons into future opportunities.
