Drum roll. Announcing a new DA:NCE internship program for colleges and universities (and maybe more)! At DA:NCE Awareness, we are committed to protecting children from hypersexualization in dance and promoting healthy, age-appropriate movement. Our interns will play a meaningful role in advancing this mission by supporting advocacy, research, community engagement, communications, and national outreach efforts.
Whether your strengths are storytelling, data, dance education, or digital media, you will have the opportunity to contribute to real projects that shape the future of dance for children.
The idea of internships started in 2025 when we received an email from the dance department at Brigham Young University(BYU) through Dr. Deidre Sakota. She wanted to explore our interest in working with dance students in their department:
“My name is Diedre Sakota, and I am a professor of dance at Brigham Young University-Idaho. We aim to bridge connections between our students and dance communities worldwide. With our religious institution’s focus and our advocacy to promote safe teaching practices for children, we feel aligned with your mission. Our students frequently seek internship opportunities, and Dance Awareness No Child Exploited was identified as a potential connection. I would love to speak with a representative to discuss possible collaborative efforts that could support each other in building stronger, actionable communities. For your review, our university requires internships to be a minimum of 7 weeks (at least 10 hours per week), 1 credit=70 hours, 2 credits=140 hours, 3 credits=200+ hours. Thank you for your time and for your service to the dance community.
Best, Diedre Sakota, PhD”
From that email came a zoom meeting that began the steps to develop a DA:NCE Internship Program. Communications Director Elizabeth Knight took on this task and began to envision a program that would be robust for interns and expansive to our mission. Just a few weeks ago, our staff met with Wendy Bone, the dance intern director at BYU, to look over a now fully developed DA:NCE intern program. FYI Wendy has impressive dance credentials: Master of Dance in Performance and Choreography, BYU, Provo; also voted Valedictorian by the College of Health and Human Performance; and recipient of the prestigious “Best Choreography Award” and the Department’s Graduate Scholarship.
We wanted Wendy to check out any structural roadblocks that might hinder intern alignment with BYU. At the zoom meeting, her response couldn’t have been more positive. Beyond internships, she asked more nuanced questions about DA:NCE with growing enthusiasm. We took the time to explain many of our resources. It was a wonderful exchange. And we got a gift from Wendy. Don’t be surprised to see many of our materials in the BYU dance program. Now onto some specifics about DA:NCE Internships:
DA:NCE has 4 Available Internship Tracks:
- Advocacy & Research
- Healthy Dance Directory Outreach
- Communications & Marketing
- Community Engagement
Offering:
- Flexible remote work
- 5–10 hours/week
- Internship credit where applicable
- Mentorship and professional development
- Real impact on children and communities
Below are track details:
Advocacy & Research Intern
Help drive national awareness around the issue of hypersexualized children’s dance. Interns in this track support research projects, collect data, help prepare educational materials, and assist with advocacy campaigns. Ideal for students interested in communications, public policy, or dance education.
Learning Objectives:
– Assist in research on dance safety, media culture, and child development
– Support advocacy initiatives and national awareness efforts
– Participate in meetings with coalition partners
– Contribute ideas to ongoing campaigns that protect children in dance including writing a blog
– Plan and implement a free educational class to a group of students on campus
Healthy Dance Directory Outreach Intern
This role supports the growth and visibility of the Healthy Dance Directory. Interns build relationships with studios, help evaluate applications, and assist with national outreach.
Learning Objectives:
– Help expand directory participation through outreach to studios
– Support communications with existing directory members
– Assist in reviewing studio applications
– Create promotional materials encouraging studios and parents to use the Directory
– Track directory metrics and impact
– Plan and implement a free educational dance class to a group of students on campus
– Plan and write a non-academic blog on a DA:NCE related topic
Communications & Marketing Intern
For students passionate about social media, storytelling, and digital communication. Interns help shape DA:NCE’s online presence and amplify our message across platforms.
Learning Objectives:
– Assist in developing social media content (writing copy, graphics, short-form video)
– Help write blogs, newsletters, and email campaigns
– Support brand messaging and awareness initiatives
– Assist in managing social media calendars and campaign planning
– Plan and implement a free educational dance class to a group of students on campus
– Solicit and schedule media interviews on behalf of DA:NCE’s founder, Mary Bawden
– Plan and write a non-academic blog on a DA:NCE related topic
Community Engagement & Partnerships Intern
This track focuses on building relationships, organizing outreach, and supporting DA:NCE’s work in local communities.
Learning Objectives:
– Assist in outreach to parents, studios, schools, and community partners
– Support event planning (virtual or in-person)
– Draft communications for community stakeholders
– Support distribution of educational materials
– Plan and implement a free educational dance class to a group of students on campus
– Plan and write a non-academic blog on a DA:NCE related topic
Make a difference now. Intern with DA:NCE. Apply today.
