The Joffrey is Training Marriott Employees

Can ballet basics boost a hotel chain’s bottom line? The Marriott is hoping so. According to the Chicago Tribune, the company hired the Joffrey Ballet to shoot four short videos about the importance of warming up, proper breathing, flow of movement and connecting with the audience. The videos, which feature Joffrey Ballet dancers as well as artistic director Ashley Wheater, will be shown during daily shift briefings for employees like bellmen, housekeepers and servers. They will also be accessible on a tablet and smartphone app for employees. Guest experience supervisors at the Marriott are hoping the program, called “Poise & Grace,” will improve employee’s ability to remain composed during busier times at the hotel, and connect with their customers with more calm and grace despite potentially hectic circumstances.

In a video explaining the concept behind the program, Wheater explains, “I think that every day as people we are always choreographing. It’s about how we use that choreography to create poise in our bodies and so therefore create grace as well…. That’s very important for JW Marriott because of the level of service in their high-end hotel. To have that when your guests arrive, it’s the first impression that you will have.”