Dance Instructor

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

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The NYS Liberty Partnerships Program was established to address dropout risks among New York State’s youth. LPP connects middle and high school students with higher education institutions, providing a safe haven for personal, social, and educational development. Our comprehensive five-week summer program focuses on academic immersion, mentorship, and creative enrichment to foster student connectedness and build confidence.

General Description:
The LPP Dance Instructor will design, adapt, and implement an engaging, movement-based dance curriculum for high school students over a five-week summer session. The ideal candidate is an enthusiastic educator, choreographer, or dancer who can use movement and performance as a tool to promote physical fitness, socio-emotional growth, and creative teamwork. The instructor will work closely with LPP program coordinators to ensure an inclusive, supportive, and culturally responsive dance studio environment for students of all skill levels.
 

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Curriculum Development: Create and execute a cohesive, multi-disciplinary dance curriculum tailored for high school students, incorporating styles such as contemporary, hip-hop, modern, cultural, or street dance.

• Instructional Delivery: Lead daily interactive dance and movement sessions, adapting choreography and exercises to meet the diverse fitness, physical needs, and skill levels of participating youth.

• Classroom Management: Maintain a physically safe and emotionally supportive studio environment. Utilize positive behavior management strategies to encourage team-building, active participation, and mutual respect among students.

• Collaboration & Reporting: Meet regularly with the LPP Project Director/Coordinator for debriefings. Track daily student attendance and submit lesson plans and program records on time.

• Summer Culmination: Coordinate, choreograph, and rehearse a final routine with students to showcase at the "End-of-Summer" community performance or celebration.

• Chaperoning & Support: Accompany and supervise students during scheduled cultural field trips or outdoor program activities as needed.

• Other duties as assigned.
   

Qualifications & Core Competencies:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (BFA or BS) in Dance, Dance Education, Performing Arts, or a related field is preferred. A background in youth fitness or New York State (NYS) Dance Certification is a strong plus.

• Experience: Minimum of 1–2 years of experience teaching or mentoring high school-aged youth, preferably within urban communities, dance studios, or grant-funded youth development programs preferred.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in multiple dance genres and an understanding of how to integrate socio-emotional learning (SEL), self-expression, and confidence-building into movement exercises.

• Interpersonal Skills: Strong performance energy, an approachable attitude, and the ability to inspire and connect meaningfully with a diverse student population.

• Compliance Requirement: Must clear all standard RFCUNY background checks and fingerprinting processes prior to the start of the summer session.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $30/hourly

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.