Artistic Director

DESCRIPTION

The Joffrey Ballet School is seeking an Artistic Director to lead it’s pre-professional Trainee Program in Plano, Texas. This highly motivated individual must have an extensive background in dance education and performance. This position directs both divisions of our Ballet & Jazz & Contemporary dancers so knowledge and enthusiasm for different genres of dance is required along with the ability to curate a program that allows dancers in each genre to excel.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Artistic Director shall develop and articulate a vision for the program that is complimentary to  the goals and mission of the Joffrey Ballet School. 
• Design and manage the curriculum of the program, including creating  the schedule of classes.. Artistic Director will ensure  that the curriculum meets all accreditation standards related to the National Association of  Schools of Dance (NASD) the U.S. Department of Education and any relevant State agencies as  required.  
• Play an important role in ensuring that Joffrey Ballet School achieves its primary goal of  preparing students for a professional career in dance. To that end Artistic Director shall:  
• Hold students accountable for adhering to School policies related to attending the  program and class. Artistic Director is responsible for ensuring that the attendance of all students meets the minimum requirements to pass the student’s classes
• Mentor students and meet with them individually on a scheduled basis, endeavoring to  motivate and communicate with a student based on their particularly personality; 
• Provide and / or endeavor to facilitate access to the support a student needs to  overcome difficulties that impacts a student’s health, ability to learn or attendance, whether that difficulty originates from the studio or outside of the studio; 
• Establish consistent scheduled office hours on-site or over ZOOM (or similar  technology) when Artistic Director will be available to students on a drop-in basis; 
• Network within the greater dance community to find qualified instructors for the program with professional connections that will benefit a student’s future career prospects; 
• Establish relationships with dance companies and other potential future employers; 
• Advise students on how to be and act as a professional dancer outside of their dance  technique and classes, including advising them on auditioning and preparing their resumes and related materials;
• Communicate with parents, guardians, and other important members of a student’s  personal support network to inform and enlist them as allies in the student’s success
• Shall hire and manage all faculty and choreographers for the program. 
• Shall lead the faculty and program staff, ensuring all faculty and program staff  adhere to school policies Additionally Artistic Director will : 
• train, evaluate and provide feedback to faculty each Term; 
• ensure all faculty are properly licensed and meet all regulatory requirements to teach  by the US Department of Education and any relevant State agencies; 
• schedule regular faculty meetings as well as meetings with program support staff,  including but not limited to the Health and Wellness Officer;
• endeavor to provide and / or facilitate access to the support a faculty member needs to  overcome any difficulties professional or otherwise impacting their role as an  instructor; 
• provide clear expectations to the faculty and hold them accountable to those  expectations and Joffrey Ballet School’s policies. 
• Shall organize and oversee all aspects of any performance of the program,  including directing all choreographers and crew. 
• Shall teach dance technique classes an average of twelve (12) hours per week, but  not less than seven and a half (7.5) hours and not more than fifteen (15) hours. 
• Shall choreograph or set choreography and rehearse such choreography for the program performances.  
• Shall actively participate in the recruitment and retention of students, including:  
• organizing, with relevant administrative staff, the recruitment of students for all the program;
• ensuring all instructors who audition prospective students are properly trained to do so; 
• auditioning students at auditions during the audition tour as required; 
• answering all prospective and enrolled student and parent questions and concerns in the  manner required prior to and during the program Term; 
• familiarizing themselves with all aspects of the program and related services  provided by Joffrey Ballet School to students to the point in which Artistic Director can discuss any of the program or related services’ information comfortably and confidently without the  need for notes or other aids; 
• meeting with students to discussing their continued participation in the program and  tracking that information to share with relevant administrative personel; 
• setting a weekly schedule to take Trainee recruitment phone calls within designated  hours and participating in all trainee recruitment open houses.  
• Artistic Director shall oversee all artistic administrative tasks and logistics of the program including, but not limited to:  
• ensuring that all program information, updates, and changes are communicated to registered students, customer service, IT staff and other relevant staff members of Joffrey Ballet School in a timely manner; 
• ensuring that all students are properly oriented to the program prior to and on arrival. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 10 years teaching experience or comparable professional experience
• Professional Experience Recommended
• Excellent communication skills
• Comfortable with public speaking
• Professional demeanor
• Knowledge of Google Suite programs
• Ability to multi-task

Joffrey Ballet School