Katey was a social dance instructor for BYU during Fall 2023.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
I was able to teach my own Social Dance 180 and 280 classes this last semester at BYU! I was able to gain experience teaching college level students intro level Waltz, Swing, Cha cha, and Foxtrot steps. Throughout this process I not only honed in on my skills as a teacher but I also was able to experience things like choreographing for their dance lab performances, mentoring them through competitions where they competed against their peers, and grading tests and written assignments. This taught me a lot about what it is like to teach a dance class from an academic standpoint and also helped me to come to know what I want to do with my future. I've fallen in love with it so much that I've set myself on a path to receive an MFA and hopefully teach at a University as my real job one day.
What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
I learned a lot about campus resources like where students should go if they encounter things like sexual harassment and also the resources we have for mental health and accommodations letters.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
This experience influenced me to pursue grad school and eventually teaching at a University!
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
I realized in this experience a lot about what dance really means to me and my testimony has grown as I've seen the joy that people feel from dancing and moving their bodies. I grew up dancing at competitive studios so getting to teach students that have never danced before as adults was really eye opening! They reminded me of my own love for dance and also of the reason why we share our talents. I feel like every class reinforced the knowledge I have that our Heavenly Father created us to have joy and he gave us bodies that are capable of so much.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Yes! It's not only a great experience but a great thing to put on your resume. Also, it's honestly so fun. It doesn't feel like a job but rather a privilege. I feel very lucky to teach these kids every week.
