A Mentored Interdisciplinary Internship with Ballet & Identity
Fall 2026 | Plummer Park, West Hollywood
Learn. Teach. Collaborate. Grow.
Ballet & Identity, Inc. invites a passionate ballet student or emerging arts educator to join our interdisciplinary educational team through a Ballet & Arts Education Internship.
This mentored internship is designed for students interested in dance education, child development, psychology, community engagement, and the educational potential of the performing arts.
The internship takes place within Me & My Fairytale World, our program for children ages 4–7. At Ballet & Identity, classical ballet serves as the foundation of an interdisciplinary educational experience complemented by theatre arts, literature, music, storytelling, and creative expression.
Our goal is to help children develop confidence, discipline, concentration, creativity, self-expression, social connection, and a healthy sense of identity through ballet and the arts.
About the Internship
The intern will work as part of a team alongside our Ballet Teacher, Theatre Arts Educator, and Program Director.
The intern will not be expected to lead the ballet class independently. Instead, the intern will assist during a weekly 45-minute beginning ballet class, gaining practical experience through observation, demonstration, working directly with children, and gradually taking on appropriate teaching responsibilities under mentorship.
Importantly, the internship encompasses the full two-hour Saturday program from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The ballet class is one part of the experience. The intern will continue participating throughout the theatre arts, storytelling, creative activities, rehearsals, and preparation for the children’s presentation.
This allows the intern to experience how ballet can function not simply as an isolated dance class, but as the foundation of a broader interdisciplinary educational experience.
Our Educational Approach
Ballet & Identity is developing an educational methodology for children’s healthy identity development in which classical ballet serves as the foundation.
We believe ballet and the arts can support children’s development in areas such as:
- confidence and self-expression;
- concentration and discipline;
- coordination, posture, musicality, and body awareness;
- imagination and creativity;
- communication and positive social interaction;
- cooperation and collaborative creativity; and
- confidence participating and performing in front of others.
These abilities are especially important during the preschool years and can contribute meaningfully to school readiness and future academic and social development.
Educational Mentorship
The internship takes place under the guidance of Ballet & Identity’s Program Director and creator of the Ballet & Identity educational concept, in collaboration with the Ballet Teacher and Theatre Arts Educator.
The intern will learn to consider the individuality of each child, different developmental rates, group dynamics, and the relationship between structure, creativity, movement, music, character, and story.
Our goal is for the intern to begin thinking of themselves not only as a dancer, but as an emerging educator who can use ballet and the arts to contribute to a child’s development.
The Intern Will
- Participate in the full two-hour program each Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- Assist the Ballet Teacher during the 45-minute beginning ballet class.
- Gain practical experience introducing ballet fundamentals to children ages 4–7.
- Help create a joyful, structured, encouraging, and inclusive learning environment.
- Work directly with children under the guidance of the educational team.
- Participate in theatre arts, storytelling, creative activities, and rehearsals.
- Help connect ballet with music, literature, characters, and storytelling.
- Assist with preparation for the end-of-session presentation.
- Encourage confidence, concentration, discipline, creativity, cooperation, and self-expression.
- Contribute observations and ideas as part of the collaborative educational process.
- Potentially participate in a role within the children’s theatrical production.
Who Should Apply
We especially welcome students who:
- Have a solid foundation in the fundamentals of classical ballet.
- Aspire to become dance or arts educators, or are curious about teaching.
- Enjoy working and connecting with young children.
- Are interested in child development and the educational potential of the arts.
- Value interdisciplinary learning and community engagement.
- Are dependable, thoughtful, creative, and collaborative.
- Are receptive to mentorship, feedback, and learning.
- Can commit to the entire two-hour Saturday program.
Previous teaching experience is appreciated but not required.
A solid ballet foundation and a genuine desire to learn, teach, inspire, and connect with children are most important.
Fall 2026 — Exploring Act I of The Nutcracker
During Fall 2026, children will explore Act I of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s celebrated score.
Through ballet, theatre arts, literature, music, storytelling, and creative play, children will explore the characters, movement, themes, and imaginative world of Act I while preparing our team’s special children’s theatrical presentation.
The intern will participate in this process from both an educational and creative perspective.
What You Will Gain
The internship provides practical experience in:
- Teaching young children under mentorship.
- Translating ballet training into age-appropriate educational experiences.
- Building confidence as an emerging educator.
- Understanding how movement, music, theatre, storytelling, and creative play can support children’s development.
- Working within an interdisciplinary arts education team.
- Adapting educational approaches to individual children and group dynamics.
- Participating in the creative development of a children’s theatrical production.
- Gaining experience in community-based nonprofit arts education.
- Exploring the relationship between ballet, child development, and healthy identity.
Most importantly, the internship offers an opportunity to discover what kind of educator you might become and how your own artistic background and interests can contribute to children’s growth.
Opportunity for Continued Collaboration
The Fall internship may be the beginning rather than the end of the experience.
During Fall, children will explore Act I of The Nutcracker. Our Winter Session will continue their journey with Act II — “In the Land of Sweets.”
If the Fall internship is a positive experience and a good fit for everyone, there may be an opportunity for the intern to continue with Ballet & Identity during the Winter Session, follow the children’s development across the two connected projects, and gradually take on additional responsibilities.
Future opportunities may also be available as Ballet & Identity develops new projects, themes, and educational settings.
Program Information
Organization: Ballet & Identity, Inc.
Program: Me & My Fairytale World
Location: Plummer Park, West Hollywood
Age Group: Children ages 4–7
Internship Schedule: Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Weekly Commitment: Full two-hour interdisciplinary program
Ballet Component: 45 minutes
Fall Session: September 12–November 21, 2026
Number of Classes: 8 Saturdays
No Classes: September 26 and October 17
Focus: Exploring Act I of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
Winter Session: December 5, 2026–February 27, 2027
Number of Classes: 12 Saturdays
Focus: Exploring Act II — In the Land of Sweets
Winter Participation: Potential opportunity for continued collaboration.
About Ballet & Identity
Ballet & Identity, Inc. is a nonprofit arts education organization dedicated to helping children develop confidence, creativity, empathy, discipline, and healthy identity through ballet and the arts.
Classical Ballet • Theatre Arts • Literature • Music • Storytelling
Our long-term vision is to help bring classical ballet more deeply into children’s educational experiences by demonstrating its value not only as a performing art, but also as a developmental and educational discipline.
At Ballet & Identity, we believe today’s ballet students can become tomorrow’s arts educators.
We invite emerging educators to become part of that exploration.
Ballet & Identity, Inc.
Developing Healthy Identity Through Ballet and the Arts
Classical Ballet • Theatre Arts • Literature • Music • Storytelling
www.balletandidentity.com
lana@balletandidentity.com
(310) 717-6336
