Description: Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (RWDC), one of the United States’ most historic contemporary dance institutions, is seeking an Artistic Director to lead the company starting in its 2025-26 Season. This key member of the Executive Team leads the creation and implementation of company performances each year, cultivating an artistic vision for the company to the benefit and the enjoyment of the company’s Salt Lake, Wasatch region, and national patrons. The ideal candidate will manage the entire lifecycle of performance programming – from initial concept to installation – coordinating closely with company dancers, administrative staff, executive leadership, and the board of trustees. With a deep passion for contemporary dance and a background in project or company management, this is an exciting opportunity for someone to envision new directions for both a legacy arts organization and for concert dance in the mountain west. This is a senior leadership position, reporting to the Executive Director.
Why work at Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company:
Location –Ririe-Woodbury is located in the heart of downtown at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center. Salt Lake City is nestled against the dramatic beauty of the Wasatch Mountain Range and the Great Salt Lake. The “Wasatch Front” is currently home to 2.5 million residents and offers tons of outdoor activities, a great culinary scene, and access to world class sports and entertainment. Flexible Work Schedule – rehearsals and performances are in-person, but administrative work can be done remotely. Ririe-Woodbury maintains actively observed policies for remote and out-of-state remote work that are used by all administrative employees.
Salary – Salary range for this position will be $70,000 to $90,000 per year, with increases possible based on performance.
Benefits – Employer-provided health insurance (paid for in full by RWDC). Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, and other ancillary policies are available through the company. You’ll enjoy four weeks (20 workdays) of PTO each year, as well 10 additional holiday vacation days each year. Additional paid time off is available for bereavement, jury duty, and voting. The company also provides free physical therapy through the University of Utah.
Community – Ririe-Woodbury currently employs 6 professional dancers and 8 administrators. We maintain active partnerships with the Salt Lake County Arts and Culture Department, The Utah State Board of Education, Repertory Dance Theatre, and the many Colleges and Universities that line the Wasatch Front.
What You’ll Do:
Repertory Management – Teaching company class, maintaining and rehearsing choreographic works, conducting all rehearsals, managing choreographic commissions, making casting decisions, and maintaining rehearsal documentation.
Performance Programming and Production –Programming and curating all performances (both in Salt Lake and on tour). Collaboration with administration on sales, marketing, public relations, and outreach. Manage production teams, costuming, lighting, and additional arts contractors.
Personnel Management and Mentorship – Supervise, mentor, and evaluate all artistic personnel, conduct employee reviews, handle disciplinary issues, lead company auditions (including interviews and reference checks). Act as a leader and mentor for all staff.
Scheduling and Logistics – Create and communicate daily, weekly, and yearly schedules, schedule and oversee studio space, acting as tour manager and manage residency schedules while on tour.
Contracting and Legal Work – Obtain and secure music rights, negotiate and draft contracts for artistic personnel and contractors alongside executive leadership.
Public Relations/Communications – Public speaking at events, writing press releases, assisting in grant proposals and donor cultivation.
Financial Management – Oversee each year’s artistic budget, monitoring with specific focus on artistic staff and production needs.
Administrative Duties – Assist in the development of season promotional material, attend board meetings (giving reports as required), attend committee meetings, and misc. tasks as needed.
The skills we are looking for:
Organizational Background - Has working knowledge of producing shows within dance companies, managing rehearsals, collaborating with various departments, and understands the components of putting on a production.
Technical Expertise – An understanding of how to build and teach an effective company class. An ideal candidate has a background in mentoring artists and leading artistic communities. A deep understanding of dance technique and its application, and experience as a performing artist. A strong artistic vision and the ability to articulate that vision are important to this role’s success.
Management Skills – Clearly exhibits patience, a spirit of collaboration, ingenuity, integrity, and accountability. Successful candidates will be highly motivated with the ability to stay organized while multitasking. Good communication skills and a track record of positive work with artists will be needed.
Additional Qualities – Some experience in marketing and fundraising is preferred. Candidates must show a willingness to engage in public speaking, financial planning, fundraising, and tasks requiring administrative crossover and collaboration.
Requirements: - 3+ years of progressive managerial experience involving the creation and implementation of dance performances. Experience leading rehearsals, teaching dance, and previous career experience as a professional dancer are required. Additional choreographic experience is preferred. - 3+ years of experience mentoring and working with performing artists in a leadership capacity. - A deep commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and a knowledge of how to advance these principles in an arts organization.
**Lacking some of the skills or experiences we've listed? No worries! Here at the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, we're on a mission to cultivate a workforce as dynamic and diverse as the community we serve. While certain roles may require specific qualifications, we understand that talent comes in many forms, and we're always open to individuals who bring a willingness to learn and a commitment to excellence. If you think this could be you, we encourage you to apply.
Please submit a cover letter and resume with links to any applicable websites, applications, or choreographic/teaching material (please provide at least two videos of you teaching or of your choreographic work). When submitting video footage, please only submit videos as YouTube, Vimeo, or Instagram links (time stamps are appreciated for longer videos).
Materials must be submitted to Executive Director Thom Dancy at employment@ririewoodbury.com.
Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company is Utah's most established institution for contemporary dance. The Company actively embraces and commissions the work of contemporary choreographers, tours worldwide, and develops dynamic education and community outreach programming. Through performance and educational undertakings, the Company pursues its mission to make dance a viable part of everyone’s life– whether it be as creators, performers, dance educators, critics, or as participating audience members. Over the span of its history, Ririe-Woodbury has toured nationally and internationally, always advocating the philosophy that “dance is for everybody.”
Ririe-Woodbury was founded in 1964 by two Utah women, Joan Woodbury and Shirley Ririe, who were both professors of dance at the University of Utah. Their passions included performance, choreography, and pedagogy. This focus was accompanied by a deep commitment to dance as a valuable art form and its importance as a component of a well-rounded education for children. Over the years, the Company has grown from its beginning as a local entity, into an internationally renowned contemporary dance company, having performed in every state in the Unit...ed States, as well as in South Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the British Isles, and throughout Europe.
