My name is Dilnaz Khamitova, and this summer I had the opportunity to intern as the Media &
Production Intern at Heidi Duckler Dance. Although I’ve always been surrounded by and had an interest in the arts, I had never experienced what goes into producing an event. Throughout the internship, I had the opportunity to work on two major events, Ebb & Flow: Scorched and the Youth Creatives Showcase, which gave me a completely new perspective on what happens behind the scenes at a nonprofit arts organization.
One of the first events I worked on was Ebb & Flow: Scorched, where I created event signage, helped with event setup, reached out to participating artists by preparing and sending artist packages, and connected with community organizations to invite them to participate.
Later in the summer, I took on an even bigger role by helping produce the Youth Creatives Showcase. Alongside the other interns, I helped plan the event from the ground up by coordinating artist and community outreach, updating the Heidi Duckler Dance website, designing promotional and event materials, and working with the team to bring our ideas to life. Seeing the month of planning and collaboration turn into a successful event celebrating young artists was one of the most rewarding parts of my internship.
Beyond the projects themselves, this internship helped me grow both professionally and personally. Every task and experience strengthened my communication, creativity, and confidence while introducing me to Los Angeles’ arts community in a new way. I’m so grateful to everyone at Heidi Duckler Dance for creating such a welcoming environment and trusting me with these responsibilities. This internship has given me skills and experiences that I know I’ll carry with me into college and beyond.
