OBT2 PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR
OPPORTUNITY
This is an exciting time to work at Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) – one of the nation’s leading ballet companies. We are in a position of strength and are well-positioned for the future, financially solid and debt free. After two rigorous national searches, OBT has appointed two visionary leaders to guide the company’s exciting next chapter: Artistic Director Dani Rowe and Executive Director Shane Jewell. The Director of Development will round out this senior leadership team, providing critical thought leadership and support as OBT launches into its exciting next chapter.Artistic Director Dani Rowe comes to OBT after an expansive professional career as an acclaimed principal dancer with The Australian Ballet and Houston Ballet, and artist of Nederlands Dans Theater 1. She is an award-winning choreographer, having created renowned works for companies like San Francisco Ballet, New Zealand Ballet, Ballet Idaho, and more. Her rich career of performing, choreographing, and directing at the highest levels of classical and contemporary dance worlds has cultivated in her a curatorial aesthetic that is already revitalizing OBT with a dazzling mix of innovative and cutting-edge programming. Her vast network and deep relationships with top-level artistic collaborators will usher in a new era for OBT. The Director of Development will play a key role in leveraging the excitement of audience members as well as current and future donors and patrons.
Executive Director Shane Jewell has over twenty years of experience working in performing arts administration and production. Most recently, Mr. Jewell was the General Manager of Gibney Company in New York City, a newly formed contemporary dance company that performed in NYC and toured internationally, where he built the infrastructure and led strategic planning that led to substantial growth and expansion. Prior to that, he served as Executive Director of the Orlando Ballet, Executive Director of Oklahoma City Ballet, and Executive Director of OK Mozart International Music Festival. Shane has raised over thirty million dollars for the various nonprofits of his employ, successfully completing two capital campaigns and a multi-million-dollar sustainability campaign while maintaining and driving growth in operational contributed income. The Director of Development will work alongside Shane to build and execute a strategic development plan to increase the contributed income and launch an exciting new capital campaign.
In addition to our energizing new leadership and strategic plan, our growing Board is actively engaged in oversight and stewardship. Our 250 employees are resilient and energized. We are adding two new studios to facilitate growth. Programmatically, OBT is robust, and we are changing lives through dance. Our professional company of 27 dancers performs an annual season of five programs, featuring both classical and contemporary work. OBT2, our junior company, boasts an average of 20 dancers of exceptional talent. Our nationally renowned School trains hundreds of elite students from across the country. Our community education programs reach thousands of students in classrooms across the region. Through all our endeavors, we are committed to advancing equity and creating a culture of kindness.
Portland, Oregon is a cultural hub where the arts, sports, live music, and small businesses thrive, while also leading the way in sustainability with a robust mass transit system, bike friendly infrastructure and unique, walkable neighborhoods. The city is home to dozens of microbreweries, coffee shops, world-class restaurants, and is just a short drive to nationally renowned Willamette Valley wineries. Portland’s proximity to both the Pacific Ocean and Mt. Hood allows for easy access to nature’s playground. Acclaimed for its beauty, vitality and livability, the City of Roses has become a destination for young professionals, families, and world travelers alike, with no shortage of activities from outdoorsy adventures to cosmopolitan delights.
POSITION
The OBT2 Program Director and School Instructor will plan season repertory for the OBT2 preprofessional dancers in conjunction with the Artistic Director and School Director; help select dancers to participate in the OBT2 program; teach, rehearse, mentor, and evaluate OBT2 dancers. They will create a robust men’s/boy’s program curriculum and grow the program. They will also be responsible for scheduling rehearsals/coordinating schedule with the OBT dance company; assist with tour and performance bookings; teach master classes, intermediate and advanced levels in technique, pointe, men’s classes, variations, partnering and repertory; supervise all OBT2 instructors; rehearse and choreograph pieces for the Annual School Performance as needed.QUALIFICATIONS
Must have danced with a major classical ballet company, can demonstrate strong experience in teaching classical ballet technique at a professional level; have experience establishing men’s/boys program curriculum and demonstrated ability to teach partnering techniques. Will have experience with staffing, rehearsing, and coaching dancers in classical and contemporary repertory; be able to multi-task, possess excellent communication skills, and be a team-oriented person who understands the dynamic of working with a diverse population of teammates/students. The successful candidate will demonstrate equal strengths in instruction and program administration.APPLY
Email your cover letter and resume to jobs@obt.org. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and the position will remain open until filled. A full job description can be obtained HERE.REPORTS TO: Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre School
POSITION STATUS: Regular, Full-Time, Exempt, Benefits Eligible, 43 Weeks Annually
COMPENSATION: $65,000-$70,000, plus full benefits
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 1, 2023
