By Arthur Salazar | HDD Development + Marketing Intern
Straight out of high school, I had a clear plan: take engineering prerequisite courses at El Camino Community College, transfer to a good university, and graduate with a mechanical engineering degree. That plan lasted about eight months until I realized I didn’t care for engineering. The only reason I considered it in the first place was the financial aspect.
As a recent high school graduate with parents who struggled financially most of my life, financial freedom was my top priority. Seeing my parents struggle at a young age made me view money as the ultimate problem solver—no matter how bad things get, money could fix it. But now that I’m older, my perspective has changed significantly. Though I still strive for financial stability, I now understand that having a career that brings you joy should take higher precedence. You spend about half of your day at work, so if you have the means, you should do something you truly enjoy.
Throughout my many jobs, one thing has remained constant: I enjoy being involved in steering the ship. Whether that means manning the vessel myself or assisting with navigation in other ways, I like being a crucial puzzle piece in the trajectory of an organization. That’s what I appreciated the most about interning at Heidi Duckler Dance through The Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program: No matter how low on the totem pole you are, your input is valuable here.
Me and Raven at Ebb & Flow festival | Photo by Cathie Arteaga
We live in an era of rapidly advancing technologies. The way one would market something 20 years ago is not the same way one would market it today. HDD allows you the freedom to experiment with new approaches, and if the team supports them, your ideas come to fruition in no time. As a marketing intern, the HDD team entrusted me with several tasks:
Social Media Content Creation
With my background in social media, I felt fairly confident in managing an Instagram account. However, I quickly realized that the niche of site-specific dancing presents unique challenges. This experience taught me that each niche requires a tailored approach and cannot be managed with a one-size-fits-all strategy. At Heidi Duckler Dance, I had to leverage available resources and explore social media aspects I had never considered before. Learning this new perspective helped me pitch strategies that could potentially boost HDD’s engagement, all while gaining a deeper understanding of how to utilize social media tools effectively to benefit a specialized niche. Given the smaller audience size for site-specific dance, traditional social media marketing strategies were not always applicable, so I had to innovate and adapt my approach to resonate more deeply with our target audience.
Google Ads and Website SEO
Unlike social media, Google Ads was initially unfamiliar territory for me. I dedicated countless hours to familiarizing myself with its features and functionalities. Once I felt confident in my understanding, I began implementing changes. These included expanding our keyword range to attract a wider audience, crafting eye-catching headlines and descriptions to engage users, and selecting photos that accurately represented our offerings. I also introduced changes to the website so it better aligns with the Google Ads used to attract new users. This experience with Google Ads revealed the breadth of skills I possess that can be applied to various aspects of marketing. My four years as a content creator have given me a solid grasp of popular keywords and compelling taglines that resonate with users.
Corporate Research
At Heidi Duckler Dance, I also learned about the various avenues nonprofits typically use to secure funding, such as grants, individual donations, and government support. One significant source of funding is corporate sponsorship. With the help of HDD Director of Development and Communications, Raven Richard, I was able to effectively research and identify potential corporate partners that align with our vision and social responsibilities. These partners could potentially provide financial assistance in the future if we effectively leverage our board members and their connections in the community.
Another day at the office | Photo by Cathie Arteaga
The corporations I pitched have proven track records of funding arts and culture nonprofits similar to ours, with many of their board members serving on the boards of other arts and dance organizations. Additionally, I suggested some corporations that don’t typically donate to arts and culture organizations but are involved in the fields of real estate and architecture. There are significant commonalities between site-specific dance and the architecture of structures and buildings. Both disciplines focus on the interaction between space and human experience. Site-specific dance uses the physical environment as an integral part of the performance, transforming spaces into stages and using architectural features to enhance the narrative and emotional impact of the dance. Similarly, architecture shapes the way people move through and interact with spaces, creating environments that influence behavior and perception. This shared focus on spatial dynamics and the human experience creates a natural synergy that can inspire innovative collaborations and deepen the connection between the arts and architecture.
Conclusion
This internship has taught me a lot. It has taught me that I enjoy research, organizing, communication and working with numbers. Coupled with my desire to be a shot-caller, this internship has solidified my career path. Initially, I embarked on this internship to further build my marketing resume, but it has unexpectedly illuminated a more fitting path for me—one that aligns with my strengths and interests. The meticulous nature of data analysis, the satisfaction of uncovering insights through research, and the strategic aspect of leveraging information for organizational success all appeal to me deeply. This realization has steered me towards pursuing a career as a data analyst, a role where I can blend my analytical skills with my passion for steering the trajectory of an organization. Thank you, Heidi Duckler Dance, for placing me in an environment that allowed me to reflect on my attributes and interests. This outcome couldn’t have been achieved without your help.
