The Community
Grand Rapids is the county seat of Itasca County in Northern Minnesota, serving a region of approximately 40,000. There are six lakes located within the city limits, and over one thousand lakes in the county. The Mississippi flows through the center of Grand Rapids, which has a population of just under 11,000. The major industries are tourism and papermaking, and the Blandin Foundation is located here. Grand Rapids is less than 15 miles from Chippewa National Forest and about 20 miles from Leech Lake Indian Reservation. It is less than 100 miles to the Canadian border (due north), to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (northeast) and to Lake Superior (southeast). Check the web for more information.
The Organization
The Reif Arts Council is a private, non-profit arts organization created to stimulate growth in the arts in Northern Minnesota and to provide a well-managed, multi-genre arts facility in which a wide variety of the arts may be experienced, exhibited and taught. The Arts Council makes its home in the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center, a state-of the art presenting facility built in 1980 and constructed a major facelift in 2015 with an $11m renovation, owned by Grand Rapids Public School (ISD #318), including a 704-seat auditorium and a 202-seat studio theater, three quality level dance studios, a theater classroom and a spacious lobby. There are currently eight full-time and several part-time employees working together to accomplish the vision set by a board of directors. The current budget is approximately $1.4m per year. Visit the website for additional information.
The Reif Dance Program
The Reif Dance Program started as a project of the Reif Arts Council in 1988 with a handful of students. Today there are nearly 200 students starting as young as 4 years of age. It is a ballet-based program, with strong modern, jazz, tap and dance fundamentals classes. In September of 2011, the Reif Dance Program entered into a formal partnership with James Sewell Ballet (JSB) of Minneapolis, and James Sewell was named the Artistic Advisor for the Reif Dance Program. This partnership entails regular master classes and performances by James Sewell and JSB in Grand Rapids and frequent visits by Reif Dance students to the JSB studios in Minneapolis. Some of our students aspire to become a member of the Reif Dance Company, a 15-20 member performance group. In recent years our students have gone on to study with Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet II, Alvin Ailey and Royal Winnipeg Ballet among others, and one has ascended to full company contract with JSB. There are two full-time, and several part-time dance instructors. Various guest choreographers, guest workshops, summer intensive and master classes round out students’ enriched dance experiences. There are three state-of-the-art dance rehearsal studios (1,200 square feet, 1,800 square feet and 2,250 square feet), plus access to two performance spaces with professional lighting, sound and crew. The Reif Dance Program presents three full dance productions each year, including The Nutcracker in December, a Company show, and a spring production in June.
The Position
This Ballet Director position is a full-time teaching job as lead instructor and choreographer for intermediate and advanced ballet classes. We are open to the position being filled by a couple. The Ballet Director is responsible for teaching ballet classes, creating ballet choreography and for providing artistic and program support to the Reif Dance program. The Ballet Director is also responsible for setting The Nutcracker ballet and for creating additional choreography for the other two annual dance productions. S/he acts as the director for the Reif Dance Company and is a key part of the Reif Dance program. The Ballet Director works directly with James Sewell (Artistic Advisor), the Reif Education Director and reports to Shantel Dow (Reif Arts Council Executive Director).
Responsibilities
1. Teach 20-25 scheduled student contact of ballet per week when classes are in session (primarily intermediate and advanced ballet and beginning through advanced pointe).
2. Teach classical ballet curriculum while cultivating an interest in pushing its boundaries.
3. Teach and assist in the Reif Summer Dance Intensive program.
4. Choreograph and support three major dance performances each year. This includes primary responsibility for “The Nutcracker”, March Company Dance Production and Spring Production concept and implementation, along with work on costumes/props for all shows (ordering/fitting/making/fixing/tweaking).
5. Develop, teach, and evaluate students using appropriate ballet curriculum.
6. Collaborate with the Education Director on informal workshops, mini-tours and lecture demonstrations for the public throughout the year.
7. Collaborate with the Education Director and other staff in student recruitment, registration, maintenance of attendance records, collecting payments, weekly newsletter, parent communications, etc.
8. Assist the Education Director and dance instructors in student placement.
9. Assist in various Community Outreach projects.
10. Advise and consult with the Education Director on dance issues and program policy, including curriculum, class assignments and teaching schedules.
11. Remain knowledgeable about the overall goals, objectives and work plan of the Reif Arts Council, and attend weekly staff meetings.
12. Support major events and activities of the Reif Arts Council, including fund raising and programming.
13. An asset, but not a requirement, would be the skill to teach modern and jazz.
In the completion of all duties, the Ballet Director reports to the Executive Director. S/he is eligible for benefits as described in the Reif Arts Council Personnel Policy, including an HSA medical coverage plan, paid vacation and sick leave and a 403b retirement plan open to employee contributions. This is a full-time position and hours may be somewhat irregular in the completion of duties. This position may be shared by two instructors. There are no provisions for payment for overtime or other production/choreography responsibilities.
Employment
This is a full time position and hours may be somewhat irregular in the completion of duties. This job description should not be considered a contract for employment for any specific period of time, or with any specific salary or benefits. The Reif Arts Council is an at-will employer.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have advanced training and preparation in ballet, with a demonstrated ability to teach dance. S/he will relate well with dancers, especially young students and work well with professional colleagues. Candidates with a teaching credential will have an advantage, as will candidates with performance experience or choreography credits. Communication skills will be especially important in keeping parents involved. All teachers must have a background check before working with students.
Starting date is flexible, but not later than January 1, 2022.
Salary
This is a full time position with a strong benefits package currently including paid vacation and paid health insurance. Salary is contingent upon experience and is within $30,000 – $40,000.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Reif Arts Council is an equal opportunity employer by choice. An individual’s age, religion, race, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or non-job-related medical condition or non-job-related physical abilities will not be a factor.
To Apply
• Submit a cover letter
• Submit a current resume with three (3) references we may contact
• Provide a sample of teaching and/or performing work, if available
Deadline: Review of applications will begin in June, and the position will be open until filled.