Assistant Professor of Dance, Modern (one-year visiting)

Shenandoah Conservatory is accepting applications for an Assistant Professor of Dance, Modern (one-Year visiting). This is a full-time benefited position located on our main campus in Winchester, Virginia. 

Shenandoah Conservatory is seeking nominations and applications for an exceptional dance practitioner. This one-year visiting position - housed within the Dance Division - begins August, 2025.

Responsibilities:

The chosen candidate will further strengthen Shenandoah Conservatory's profile and reputation as a premiere place of study for future dance professionals. The desired candidate will:

1. Teach modern dance technique and dance composition courses;
2. Provide mentorship to aspiring dancers at a variety of levels;
3. Contribute to student learning through expertise in a secondary area (such as jazz styles or professional prep courses);
4. Choreograph for mainstage productions of the Dance Division; and
5. Additional teaching responsibilities based on qualifications.

Contributions to program recruitment as well as Conservatory-wide collaboration and active participation in Division, Conservatory and University service opportunities are expected. Contributions to program recruitment as well as Conservatory-wide collaboration and active participation in Division, Conservatory and University service opportunities are expected.

Required qualifications and skills include:

1. A terminal degree in dance or professional equivalency.
2. A driving passion for innovation and sound practice in pedagogy and curriculum.
3. An exceptional portfolio of creative/scholarly work in choreography.
4. A keen understanding of industry trends, including around issues of program growth and audience engagement.
5. A mindfulness for student wellbeing and ability to contribute to the Conservatory’s commitment to belonging.
6. A powerful orientation toward collaborative work.

How to Apply: 

The complete application will include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. Applications will be reviewed immediately and continue until a qualified candidate is selected.

Shenandoah University is committed to enriching its educational experience and culture through its faculty, administration, and staff diversity. All candidates are strongly encouraged to include a statement in their cover letters addressing how they can contribute to that commitment.

**Note: A pre-employment background check will be required, and a satisfactory driving record may be required as a condition of hire. 

Shenandoah University values individuals and communities' unique and diverse perspectives locally and globally. It seeks to foster mutual understanding in an inviting community where individuals are welcome and respected. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, or on any other basis protected under applicable law.

About the Dance Division: Beyond providing professional preparation to around 60 dance majors annually, the Dance Division provides 75 musical theatre students with rigorous professional training that is equally grounded in musical theatre, jazz, ballet, tap and modern dance training. Core dance training is complemented by an extensive composition sequence, three mainstage concerts per year in the 600-seat Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre, and numerous opportunities for creative & performance work. Extensive outreach opportunities led by dance faculty include international performance-and- study tours, such as summer trips to Asia and Europe, where participants have studied with many international guest artists and performed both faculty and student works at various stages in multiple countries. At home, the Dance Ensemble has been featured in concerts at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Hall, and other professional venues in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

About Shenandoah Conservatory: Shenandoah Conservatory was founded in 1875 and has an extraordinary legacy of shaping music and the performing arts in Virginia and beyond. Located at the head of the historic Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, 70 miles west of Washington DC, the Conservatory is now home to over 640 award-winning students from across the nation and globe enrolled in baccalaureate, masters and doctoral curricula in the areas of music, theater, and dance, and includes a distinguished faculty of over 125, half of whom are full-time.

Beyond being a comprehensive performing arts school, Shenandoah Conservatory is home to exceptional artists and scholars who are unusually oriented towards collaboration and innovative approaches to the career preparation of students. The Conservatory’s ShenCoLAB (formerly titled Student Performance Week) is but one example of the Conservatory’s nation-leading embrace of innovation and collaboration: a (first-in-the country) week-long stoppage of all classes and rehearsals across all programs with the school turned over to students for student-led (and faculty-mentored) collaborative projects. The Conservatory’s proximity to Washington, DC and Dulles Airport, ensures easy access to and regular interaction with professionals from around the country and world. www.su.edu/conservatory