08/20/2026
This summer, WWU Dance major Atlas Hovdesven left Bellingham to learn more about the production side of dance through an internship at the American Dance festival in NC.
“Working with the dance companies was definitely the highlight of the experience, and I made some amazing connections,” Hovdesven said. “The connections and friendships I made with the other interns from across the country and world will also be very valuable to my life and career.”
Hovdesven had a limited background in the technical aspects of stage production going in.
“Mark Morris Dance Group's Lighting Supervisor Mike Faba taught me a lot about lighting and programming as well as the history of the company. I also had a few meaningful conversations with the founders of Pilobolus backstage, and a lot of their crew actually went through the ADF production internship!”
“It felt like there was always space to ask questions and dig deeper, which is something that the industry doesn’t see a lot of,” he said.
Working long days throughout June and July brought the production crew together. Hovdesven had the opportunity to work with international students from Taiwan, which was “a really amazing cultural exchange.”
Connections Hovdesven made this summer are also potential collaborators, which opens the door to opportunities working with dance companies. “We had a lot of fun together in and outside of work.”
In addition to dancing at Western, Hovdesven runs a Bellingham-based dance company, A Very Q***r Ballet. One of Hovdesven’s fellow American Dance Festival interns is planning to come to Bellingham to join the crew for one of his company's shows this fall.
“There is no denying that pursuing a career in the arts is a risk, but committing your life to creating art and doing what you love is one of the most gratifying decisions you will ever make.”
Chris Casquilho covers Western’s College of Fine and Performing Arts for University Communications.
