Director of the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance

About the role

This full-time faculty position is on-campus and in-person. The School for Classical & Contemporary Dance in the College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University invites applications for the position of Director of the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance (SCCDance) and Associate/Full Professor of Dance. The Director serves as the senior administrator of the academic unit and reports to the Dean of the College of Fine Arts. This is an in-person on-campus tenured faculty position with an administrative appointment. The start date of the position is Fall 2027.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic and artistic leadership and contribute to TCU’s goal of becoming an R1 institution, ensuring that the strategic plans of the School, College, and University are aligned and effectively implemented.
• Manage the SCCDance’s budgets, financial resources, and facilities; work with College of Fine Arts leadership on the renovation of Ed Landreth Hall as a shared performance space.
• Oversee personnel matters including faculty and staff recruitment, retention, mentoring, evaluation, and the promotion and tenure process; make hiring recommendations to the Dean.
• Develop and oversee activities related to student recruitment, auditions, admissions, and retention, including scholarships and awards, in collaboration with faculty and staff.
• Coordinate faculty course loads, teaching assignments, and scheduling.
• Facilitate program development, curriculum design, assessment, and university accreditation requirements; maintain accreditation from and serve as the Institutional Representative to the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).
• Collaborate with faculty and staff to produce SCCDance concerts and sustain the guest artist program.
• Support and develop the health and wellness initiatives that distinguish the School; maintain and foster the SCCDance culture of collaboration, care, and community with all faculty, staff, and students.
• Positively represent the School to TCU and the public; work with the Dean on fundraising initiatives, including cultivating relationships with alumni, donors, and community partners.
• Work with faculty to strengthen and expand the SCCDance’s research/creative activity portfolio, with a focus on increasing externally funded research output that enhances Dance programs.
• Teach a reduced load in the candidate’s area of specialty and maintain a record of scholarly/creative activity and service.

Department Details

The School for Classical & Contemporary Dance (SCCDance) was founded in 1949 and is dedicated to conservatory-style depth inside a liberal arts education. The SCCDance is home to a total of 75–80 majors across three BFA degrees: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet, Modern Dance, and Ballet and Modern Dance (double major).

DanceTCU offers multiple distinct productions each academic year, welcomes numerous guest artists, collaborates across disciplines, and pursues unique opportunities that support student professional and educational development. SCCDance alumni are performers, choreographers, artistic directors, arts administrators, educators, program developers, studio owners, designers, dance therapists, dance photographers, and more. They also take their TCU education into prestigious graduate programs and fields such as medicine, physical therapy, counseling, journalism, and law.

With a mission to develop educated dance artists prepared to become ethical professionals and leaders in the global dance community, the SCCDance is committed to preparing students to enter the field of dance and beyond.

Texas Christian University’s School for Classical & Contemporary Dance (SCCDance) houses a community of artist-scholars who value each individual’s unique pathway through the BFA: 20 full- and part-time faculty, 3 staff, and 5 musicians. The SCCDance faculty provide opportunities and experiences to support student growth: artistically, intellectually, creatively, and collaboratively. Whether in the studio, on the stage, or in the classroom, a BFA from the SCCDance prepares students with essential skills in dance and beyond. TCU is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD).

Requirements

• Terminal degree in Dance (e.g., MFA or PhD) or closely related field; or graduate degree in Dance or closely related field with professional experience
• Administrative experience
• Qualify for appointment at the rank of Associate and/or Full Professor with tenure in the School for Classical & Contemporary Dance
• Demonstrated record of effective leadership, teaching, and mentorship

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in strategic planning and visionary leadership for an R1 School of Dance
• Experience with administrative responsibilities (e.g., budgets, records, reporting, programs, assessment, facilities) and experience in academic leadership (e.g., Chair, Director, Associate Chair, Program Director, Dean, or Associate Dean)
• Excellent communication skills and experience with consensus-building
• Record of program-building
• Demonstrated fundraising experience
• Record of success in recruiting, retaining, and mentoring faculty, staff, and students of all levels and ranks
• Record of effective student-centered teaching and community-building
• Record of excellence as a practicing dance artist or scholar
• Experience building relationships with leaders and organizations locally, nationally, and internationally; representing and promoting Dance to other fields and constituencies within and beyond the university
• Experience with DSA, NDEO, CORPS de Ballet International, IADMS, IABD, CODA, or other academic/professional organizations in Dance