Assistant Professor

Assistant Professor of Dance

Description

The Department of Dance at St. Olaf College invites applications for a full-time, tenure track position in Dance at the Assistant Professor level to begin August 2025.

To support the current needs and future curricular changes and growth of the dance department, we are looking for an experienced, versatile, and innovative teacher and artist scholar with both a breadth and depth of experience and knowledge in a broad range of dance theory and practice areas and evidence of integrating these into their teaching and research. The successful candidate will mentor undergraduate students academically and artistically, as well as create and/or stage choreographic and performance works for a varied student body. Teaching will include one or more of the following dance theory areas: Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology, Movement for the Camera/Screendance, and/or Creative Practices (movement composition and improvisation), as well as one or more of the following dance practice areas: Modern dance, Hip Hop, and/or Ballet at all levels and leading to a depth of student experience. Other courses might include Dance in the United States (a Dance History course with a focus on the impact of race and gender on American dance history), Introduction to Dance (a lecture based dance survey course), and a First Year Seminar with movement and dance as a focus, among others, including the potential for cross-disciplinary courses.

The candidate should have experience in contemporary, inclusive teaching and artistic practices, and the interest and ability to work collaboratively to further decolonize and contextualize all departmental program offerings and systems of operation. The successful candidate will also share responsibilities in directing/choreographing dance productions; mentoring dance major projects for all class years, for example First Year Dance Project, Senior Capstone Projects and others; creating original choreography for students; participating, coordinating, and accompanying students to regional and national conferences such as ACDA, CORD, and NDEO; and advising students academically. Additionally, this candidate will share in leadership responsibilities for the dance department. The candidate will be expected to maintain robust artistic practice and scholarship.

Qualifications
M.F.A. in Dance or Ph.D. in Dance or a related field in hand or near completion by the start of fall semester. The preferred candidate has at least 2 years of higher education teaching experience.

About the Department
The Department of Dance is a small, vibrant, collaborative department committed to teaching and presenting dance as a vital community and artistic practice. Partnering with the college‘s liberal arts curriculum and building interdisciplinary relationships, the B. A. in Dance program encourages exploration of complex ideas through investigation, knowledge, and expression of the body. Whether students in our program become dance artists, choreographers, scholars, or teachers or integrate their skills and knowledge into other fields, they grow into movers, makers, and thinkers who responsibly engage in, serve, and shape the community around them. St. Olaf is a charter member and an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance.

For more information about the department, visit wp.stolaf.edu/dance.

Diversity
At St. Olaf, we are committed to equity and inclusion. We strive to be a campus of welcome where students, faculty, and staff thrive by bringing their full humanity—gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic class, disability, religion, spirituality, and age—to the Hill each day. Our goal is to generate conversations and processes that over time create greater clarity, transparency, trust, cooperation, consensus, respect, and measurable outcomes. Practices that support this goal include listening, cultivating a growth mindset, respecting those with different views, being informed by data, and understanding that the work is ongoing, collaborative, organic, and ever evolving. We encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website to learn more about our commitment and to identify how you might contribute to these efforts.

How to Apply

A complete application includes the following:

References: Provide contact information for three professional references who can speak to your abilities in teaching and scholarship.

Supporting Documents and URLS:

1. Cover letter outlining your qualifications and why you are interested in this particular position
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Links to samples of your teaching and creative work/research
4. Diversity statement (500 word limit): Describe how you would contribute to the development of a diverse and inclusive learning community at our college through your teaching, research, and/or service. Include examples of your contributions when possible.
5. Graduate transcripts (unofficial)
6. Teaching Statement (1-2 pages): Describe your teaching and learning beliefs, goals, and methods.
7. Professional Statement: A writing sample such as an article, paper, review, artist statement, grant application or other appropriate item that demonstrates your writing skills.

Review of applications will begin on January 7, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications received by that date will receive fullest consideration. Finalist interviews are expected in March. Questions about the position, department, or College may be directed to Heather Klopchin, Search Committee Chair, at .

About Us

Who We Are:

Founded in 1874, St. Olaf College is a residential, coeducational liberal arts college with approximately 3,000 students and 800 faculty and staff. The college is located on a picturesque 300-acre campus in Northfield, Minnesota, a vibrant, historic river town of 20,000 located 45 minutes south of culturally rich and diverse Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The college offers an academically rigorous, nationally ranked liberal arts education that fosters the development of the whole person in mind, body, and spirit and emphasizes learning in an inclusive and globally engaged community. We encourage applications from candidates committed to multicultural understanding and the enrichment of our diverse community.

The college offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 9% retirement match, monthly contributions to a retirement healthcare account, contributions to eligible employees‘ health savings accounts, a significant tuition discount (up to an 80% reduction) at ACM and ELCA colleges and universities for employees‘ children, and generous paid time off. For a full review of the college‘s benefits, please see the summary of our benefits here: hr/benefits/

To provide a safe and secure educational environment, St. Olaf College verifies the accuracy of all credentials presented by applicants and conducts a criminal background check on every new hire.

A summary of the Flexible Work Policy for staff: hr/flexible-work-policy/

A link to our DEI page: equity-inclusion/

A virtual campus tour: multimedia/play/?p=483

An overview of Northfield: admissions/visit/northfield/

An overview of the Twin Cities: admissions/visit/twincities/

The college strongly recommends that incoming students and new employees complete the primary COVID vaccine series before beginning their studies or work on campus, and that all members of our campus community remain up to date with COVID vaccines, per CDC guidance.
For Staff Application Assistance:

For Faculty Application Assistance:

Nondiscrimination Policy St. Olaf College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, or status with regard to public assistance. St. Olaf College prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon these and any other legally protected status in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admissions and employment.
Inquiries about this nondiscrimination policy may be referred to St. Olaf College‘s Director of Equal Opportunity, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights or both. St. Olaf‘s Director of Equal Opportunity (who serves as the College‘s Title IX, Title VI, and Section 504 Coordinator) is Pamela McDowell, Tomson Hall, , .

To apply, visit hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_3/job/931/?mode=location

jeid-8ce36e9261ce0e41bfc9cbaba5debda4

---