Position: Piano Accompanist for Dance Classes
School: College of the Arts Department of Theatre and Dance
Reports to: Director of Dance,
Job Summary: The piano accompanist will provide live musical accompaniment for undergraduate dance classes in ballet, modern dance and Dance Improvisation. This role collaborates closely with dance faculty to support technical training, artistic expression, and classroom instruction by providing responsive, stylistically appropriate music that aligns with movement, pacing, and pedagogical goals. The accompanist must demonstrate versatility across musical styles, strong improvisational skills, and the ability to adapt to the dynamic needs of dance instruction in both ballet and modern/contemporary techniques.
Schedule: Work schedule up to 6 class meetings per week (up to 8 hours per week). Semester runs from Sept 1- Dec 9 (and may include finals week).
Required Qualifications
Education: Degree Qualifications, BA degree required, Master degree is a plus
Technical Proficiency:
- Advanced technical proficiency in piano accompaniment for classical ballet technique classes, including the ability to perform stylistically appropriate repertoire and adapt tempo, meter, and phrasing to support barre, center, and across-the-floor exercises.
- Advanced improvisational and collaborative accompaniment skills for modern dance classes and dance improvisation, with the ability to create responsive musical landscapes that support varied movement dynamics, compositional structures, and spontaneous creative exploration.
Experience: Significant experience (3+ years) accompanying dance in a professional company, pre-professional conservatory/studio or higher education environment.
Duties and Essential Job Functions:
- Primary Job Duties:
- Perform for classical ballet classes with sensitivity to traditional class structure, including barre, center, adagio, allegro, petit allegro, and grand allegro exercises.
- Accompany modern dance classes and movement-based coursework with music that reflects varied dynamics, phrasing, and stylistic approaches.
- Improvise and adapt music in real time to support dance improvisation, creative exploration, and movement composition activities.
- Collaboration with faculty:
- Work closely with dance faculty to understand class structure, pedagogical goals, and musical preferences for technique and creative coursework.
- Collaborate with instructors to shape accompaniment that enhances movement quality, artistic intention, and classroom learning outcomes.
- Communicate effectively with faculty regarding class exercises, sequencing, and musical needs in advance of and during instruction.
- Support a professional, responsive, and collaborative classroom environment that contributes to student success.
- Musical Versatility:
- Demonstrate proficiency in performing and improvising across a range of musical styles appropriate for classical ballet, modern dance, and dance improvisation.
- Create musically engaging accompaniment that supports diverse movement qualities, from structured technical exercises to exploratory and experimental practices.
- Adapt musical texture, tone, meter, and phrasing to align with shifting movement dynamics and choreographic intent.
- Draw from a broad repertoire and strong improvisational skill set to provide responsive accompaniment in a fast-paced university dance setting.
Compensation: This is paid as the equivalency of a 3 credit course, paid in accordance with the State of NJ teachers union MOA. This is approximately $6,000.
To Apply: Apply through the Rowan website for general adjunct positions in theater and dance.
Please also email Prof. Dawn Marie Bazemore ([email protected]) to let us know you are applying so we can access your submission.
Pay: $1,000.00 - $2,000.00 per month
Work Location: In person
