written by Bridget Miskel, 2011 Development Intern
WEEK 1
Orientation began Tuesday morning as all the interns gathered on the porch of the beautiful Epworth building on Duke's East Campus. We quickly met the rest of the staff before we delved into discussing our role at the Festival. We spent the mornings and lunchtimes Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday getting to know each other while learning about the performances and classes that comprise the ADF. Tuesday evening we were treated to dinner, which gave us the
chance to discuss the various reasons we chose to spend our summer in Durham. Some of us, like me, plan to pursue a career in Arts Management, while others hope to dance professionally. Thursday orientation ended with a fun "Get to Know the ADF" quiz and by then I felt that I had a great grasp on the history of the Festival and could confidently discuss each company that we would see during the summer.
In the afternoons on orientation days we worked in our individual offices, which for me is the Development Office! This Season is unique because after 43 years it is Director Charles Reinhart's final season leading the ADF. Many of the events that are normally spread out throughout the summer such as the Gala and the Scripps/ADF award ceremony will take place
during opening weekend to celebrate Charles' legacy, meaning a busy weekend of parties for the Development office. Shortly after walking into my office for the first time I joined my supervisors Kate and Ryan, Co-Director Jodee Nimerichter, and one of the Gala Committee members for a walk through with the caterers for the Gala Reception at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). I spent most the rest of the week learning the ins and outs of the Development office including familiarizing myself with our database and working on donor acknowledgements for Gala attendees.
Friday we had lunch with Co-Director Jodee Nimerichter. She told us about her path to
the ADF, and her role as Co-Director, and asked us which company we were each looking forward to most. Almost every person selected a different company, which I think really speaks to the diversity of interests that make the Festival such an important place.
WEEK 2
This week was certainly a whirlwind! In the Development office we focused on preparing
tickets for all of the Gala Reception guests and making sure the final details were in place for the
catering, table layouts, and general flow of the evening. All of our hard work paid off, the Gala
was a huge hit! After five incredible performances with speakers interwoven reflecting on
Charles' tenure, guests gathered on the Skyline Lounge of DPAC to dine and dance.
The rest of the weekend was filled with the Teaching Tribute ceremony and dinner for
former ADF Dean Donna Faye Burchfield, and the ADF/Scripps Award presentation and dinner
for Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. Both of these events were held at Charles' house where I had
the chance to chat with all the guests while serving drinks and helping the parties run smoothly.
Kate and Ryan also made sure that I had time to see Rosas perform and I snuck in with a few
interns and staff members to watch some of ADF students audition for Past/Forward pieces.
WEEK 3
Preview classes for the ADF School finished early this week and I decided to take Pam Pietro's technique class from 8-10am. I am really looking forward to starting each day with
class! Pam begins each class asking us to share a positive thought which brings a fantastic
energy into the room. Taking class in addition to interning will really help me stay connected to
both the performance and school sides of the Festival.
This week the Development office hosted the Season Dedication party for visual artist
Alex Katz, and Israeli modern dance company Yossi Berg and Oded Graf performed. The
highlight of the week for me was definitely Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company's
performance. I went both Friday and Saturday nights because I wanted to watch D-Man in the
Waters over and over again.
We also had our first intern seminar with Catherine Lavenburg who is the ADA
Coordinator for the North Carolina Arts Council. She spoke to us about accessibility to the arts
for people with disabilities and we weighed in on how we can contribute to this initiative.
WEEK 4
The Festival is definitely in full swing! Part of my job is to coordinate the free docent
tours that we offer to the public, which kicked off this week. Both groups and individuals can
come in and learn about the inner workings of the ADF. Tours start with a video that gives an
overview of the Festival and then a docent takes the group around to observe three classes,
finishing in the beautiful Ark. I had the opportunity to jump in and lead a tour this week, so I
gave the inside scoop to 25 middle school students who are spending their summer at an arts
camp. They had great questions for me and were fascinated by the live music and dancers in
each class.
Wednesday we started the day with Emil Kang who spoke at our second intern seminar.
Emil is Executive Director of the Arts for UNC and he spoke to us about networking and
emphasized how important it is to stay connected to your art form when you work on the
administrative side of the arts because you can quickly lose your purpose and passion. This
advice resonated with me as I transition from college to my career, especially after dance has
been built into my life for so many years.
TAO Dance Theatre made their US debut this week, and Evidence, A Dance Company and
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company performed at DPAC this weekend. The TAO dancers are
here for the entire Festival, so after seeing them in auditions and class I was intrigued to see them
perform.
WEEK 5
This week we forged ahead with fundraising in the Development office. Five local foundations
and individuals have come together to issue a challenge that if we raise $1,000 for every year
that Charles has been at the ADF they will match us dollar for dollar up to $43,000. We have
been reaching out to former donors as well as ADF alumni all over the country inviting them to
join us in celebrating Charles' legacy. All of the money we raise will go towards the Charles L.
and Stephanie Reinhart fund, which supports scholarships for students, commissions of new
work, and other special projects.
Rosie Herrera's company performed this week, and as our seminar speaker she gave a
really unique view into molding a career as an artist. She spoke about the identity of Miami and
how that demands that her company appeal to such a diverse audience. Pilobolus also performed
this week and I took some time on Thursday afternoon to attend their Community Talk. Charles
moderated a discussion about the company's 40-year history with some of their artistic and
administrative team. The pieces the company performed ranged from ADF commissioned
Untitled (1975) to a new collaboration with OK Go. The period that their work spanned while
still holding true to their mission tied in strongly with the theme of the season and the mission of
the Festival that Jodee explained to us during our first week, Something New, Something
Treasured.
WEEK 6
The Musicians Concert and the Faculty Concert book ended week six. In between these
Concerts, Eiko and Koma performed at the Pond at Duke Gardens and Emanuel Gat Dance
performed at DPAC. Emanuel Gat's dancers were incredible technicians and they captivated my
attention for the entirety of their performance.
A large job for the Development Office in the off-season is reaching out to local
businesses to create partnerships with the ADF for many of the events such as Faculty meeting
lunches and the President's Club Lounge where we welcome donors with coffee and desserts
before performances at DPAC. I spent some time this summer facilitating these partnerships in
addition to creating new ones as the need arose. This has certainly been one of the more
challenging parts of my job, but it has also been very rewarding to familiarize myself with local
businesses that make such an effort to give back to the other businesses in the Durham
community.
WEEK 7
Week 7 was incredibly exciting because we met the Challenge! We successfully raised
over $43,000 that will be matched and will all go the Charles L. and Stephanie Reinhart Fund.
Everyone in the ADF Community was so generous and excited to honor Charles, and we are
appreciative!
Tours wrapped up this week and we had the last of our staff lunches. Every Wednesday
permanent staff members spoke to us about the role of each office and what working in
Marketing, Development, and Finance entail. Many of the offices work very closely together,
but it was still very helpful to hear what roles each person plays at the Festival.
Doug Varone and Dancers performed this week, and this may have been my favorite
performance of the season. Chapters from a Broken Novel presented 21 vignettes that each
conveyed a distinct and powerful story. Shen Wei Dance Arts performed at DPAC and I also
had the chance to attend the International Choreographers in Residence (ICRs) showings.
WEEK 8
The last week of the Festival was jam packed with student showings, performances, and
festivities. My parents arrived on Wednesday and I brought them to see Past/Forward. Seeing
the hard work of the students and what they were able to create in such a short period of time
made the pieces that much more exciting.
The Community Talk with Paul Taylor and Charles Reinhart on Thursday was one of my
favorite moments of the Festival. They spoke so genuinely about the history of modern dance,
their friendship and the reasons why Paul formed his company and continues to create pieces.
Thursday night after an incredible performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company and a
surprise flash mob in the lobby of DPAC for Charles, we hosted the final party for Paul Taylor's
cast, the staff, and the faculty. I made sure I saw PTDC perform one more time before the
Festival concluded with a tribute to Charles by the African American Dance Ensemble.
As we packed up the office, I reminisced with Kate and Ryan about all the successes of
the season and what we are already excited about for the 2012 Season. I learned so much while
working hard, dancing, and meeting people from all over the world. I am sad to leave Durham,
but I know I will continue to come back to the Festival every summer to be a part of the
contagious creative energy that makes the ADF such an extraordinary place.
Past Journals: Box Office Intern, Executive Intern
