Berklee Presents Dance Captain

Berklee College of Music•Boston, MA

1d•$18•Onsite

About The Position

The Dance Captain for the Berklee Presents production team assists the guest Faculty choreographers during rehearsals and sectionals to teach and demonstrate choreography to the featured student dancers, and to help maintain the artistic standards of the show’s choreography, as originally set by the choreographer, when they cannot be present during the entire rehearsal process. Depending on the needs of the production, the Dance Captain may also be asked to choreograph some featured dance within the concert. Additionally, the Dance Captain serves as an assistant choreographer within the team to teach the background vocalists movement, helping to shape their onstage presence as a compelling unit, and to provide some direction to instrumentalists, such as the horn section, with their stage movements. This leadership role offers hand-on experience for someone interested in choreography, and who also enjoys working with musicians who may have limited dance training and experience with stage direction. The position will report to the Senior Concert Producer, and also work closely with all Berklee Presents colleagues. The ideal candidate will have a good knowledge of contemporary commercial music, and model the values of teamwork, respect, and self-confidence. The Berklee Presents team produces a variety of high-profile, interdisciplinary Signature Series concerts each year such as Singers Showcase, Great American Songbook, and the Commencement Concert.

Requirements

Current student at Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Enrolled at least half-time in a degree, diploma, or certificate-seeking undergraduate or graduate program. Summer is the only semester in which a student can maintain employment without being enrolled. In this case, the student must be pre-registered for the upcoming fall semester. This exception does not apply to fall or spring semesters.
Have a valid United States Social Security Number (SSN).
Remain in “valid” Visa status as applicable.
A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. Students in their first semester can work, even though they do not have an official GPA until the completion of their first semester.
Federal Work Study student may apply.
In good disciplinary standing.
Must be located in the U.S.
Demonstrated proficiency as a dancer with an impressive aptitude for quickly memorizing steps
Bring a sense of fun and passion for choreography and helping others, and to gain the opportunity to grow your own teaching and leadership skills
Empathy, with intuitive people skills, and the ability to to give clear direction with tact and diplomacy
Aptitude to manage the behavior of learners in the instructional setting to ensure the environment is conducive to the learning process
Ability to direct your peers and impart knowledge in a way that makes the dance team feel they’re capable of something they might not feel confident about
Adaptability, open-mindedness, and a strong commitment to access, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
Ability and willingness to respond positively to supervision and to accept and implement artistic direction of the guest faculty choreographers, producer, and other colleagues in the creative process in a professional and collaborative manner
Effectively manage allotted learning time to maximize student achievement
Must be a team player, work cooperatively and collaboratively, and be focused on the student and project success
Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills
Must enjoy working with culturally diverse populations and on interdisciplinary teams
Extremely well organized and detail oriented
Ability to follow directions and motivated to work independently with a positive “can do” attitude
Discretion and confidentiality, a must
Strong time management skills, work well under pressure
Computer proficiency and asset management ability, especially in shared storage platforms, GoogleDrive and with GoogleForms

Responsibilities

Observe and learn how guest faculty choreographers set choreography in core rehearsals, and be able to share and demonstrate the routines with featured dancers in sectionals, tracking moves and taking notes, and making sure the spacing, intent, and intricate details of the movement and choreographer’s vision are still intact
Ensure that the choreography is maintained in rehearsals when the choreographer is not present
As directed, lead small group and individual rehearsals, and on occasion, Zoom sessions for creative reinforcement
Foster a steady rehearsal etiquette as well as warmups/cool downs for the dancers
As directed, communicate with students on instructional expectations and keep them informed of their progress in meeting those expectations, including any changes to planned rehearsal schedules
Give feedback to dancers, adjusting your teaching style for each performer, as needed
Assist in the preparation, creation, and dissemination of learning aids such as demonstrative choreography video recordings and choreography rehearsal notes for dancers to use and practice with between scheduled meetings
Aid the faculty choreographer in coordinating brush-up rehearsals
Assist the choreographer and production team during featured dancer and background vocalist auditions
Choreograph and teach compelling routines for the background vocalists as a unit that help to express ideas and stories through movement and authentically complement the repertoire at hand, while preserving the integrity and consistency of the primary singing role
Collaborate on wardrobe planning by assembling dancer lookbooks, sourcing costume pieces, organizing sizing and quantity needs, and assisting with order preparation for performances.
Assist with wardrobe coordination during events, ensuring dancers were properly outfitted before performances, helping manage costume changes, and overseeing the care, organization, and return of wardrobe items post performance to a central location
Create sequenced movement and stagecraft considerations for the instrumentalists (horn section, for example)
Work closely with the production team and choreographer to modify choreography, when needed, to match available stage dimensions or specific transitions
Take and disseminate blocking and rehearsal notes, as directed
Understudy in rehearsals, when needed
Help with cast wrangling and backstage traffic in the green room during rehearsals and during the run of the show
Undertake general administrative tasks for the Berklee Presents production team on an as-needed basis
May work occasional prolonged or irregular hours, especially in the lead up to performances