Request for Applications: Dance Chair 

California State Summer School for the Arts  

2023 Summer Session  

The California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), in collaboration with the CSSSA  Board of Trustees announces a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Dance Chair position  within the CSSSA program. The Dance Chair position is a contracted position which will  oversee the Dance Program for CSSSA, develop and implement the dance curriculum, courses, and dance pedagogy, and instruct courses. For a complete list of duties please see the Scope  of Work Section below.  

Program Overview 

Enabling legislation, Chapter 1131 of 1985, established the California State Summer School for  the Arts (CSSSA) to provide a training ground for future artists who may wish to study and  practice the arts, or to pursue careers in the major performing arts companies and commercial  and fine arts institutions in California.  

CSSSA offers pre-professional training to approximately 500 talented and gifted high school  students each summer, hosted by CalArts in Valencia, California for the 2023 summer session. CSSSA offers seven disciplines, including Animation, Dance, Film, Music, Theater, Visual Arts,  and Writing. The 2023 summer session runs from July 8th to August 4th.

Visit the following URL to view CSSSA’s enabling legislation: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=EDC&division=1.&title=1.&part=6.&chapter=7.&article=

Eligible Applicants 

CSSSA welcomes professional artists with broad ranging skills and experiences in dance and  dance education. Dancers with professional stage careers, choreographers, artistic directors,  dance educators, interdisciplinary dance artists, and more are welcome to apply. The Dance  Chair position shall not be subject to credentialing requirements or any other restrictions upon  eligibility for employment generally applicable to public school instructors.  

To be eligible for this opportunity, the state educational agency, California State Summer School  for the Arts, must have a submitted Curriculum Vitae/Resume by January 25, 2023 at 5:00 pm, 

Pacific Time. Please see additional submission details at the end of this Request For  Application (RFA). 

Ideal Qualifications Include: 

• Undergraduate or advanced degree in dance, or related field and/or equivalent  professional experience. 

• Multiple years of teaching experience, particularly of high school aged students. 

• Sustained record of creative / professional practice in dance and the dance industry. 

• Knowledge of cutting-edge trends in dance education as well as opportunities in the  creative industries for young dancers. 

• Skills and expertise in multiple genres of Dance, which may include ballet, modern /  contemporary, hip hop, improvisation, musical theater, tap, dance of world cultures, and  more. 

• Ability to work creatively and effectively with diverse students of varying levels. 

• Demonstrated experience with and commitment to cultural and economic diversity in arts  education. 

• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability, and able to work collaboratively in a fast-paced team dynamic. 

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills. 

Scope of Work 

The Dance Chair will be contracted to provide the following services: 

• Participate in the recruitment and interviewing of potential faculty and TAs.
• Ensure that the CSSSA contract analyst has complete contract information for each of  the department’s hires.  

• Participate in the screening, selection, and scheduling process of dance students.
• Create detailed supply orders for the entire Dance Department with estimates from  competing vendors.  

• Oversee the dance curriculum, including courses and dance pedagogy. 
• Reside on campus during the summer session and supervise the work of full-time, part time faculty, and visiting artists while the program is in session. 

• Instruct courses, and chair faculty meetings. 

• Monitor student academic / artistic progress, as well as department policies for obtaining  college credits. 

• Work with faculty and CSSSA’s staff to resolve student conduct, and other student  affairs issues. 

• Work with other department chairs and faculty to develop an interdisciplinary and/or  multi-disciplinary program. 

Contract Status 

The Dance Chair is to be paid on a contractual basis and is not considered a state employee.  The contract is preset by the CSSSA. The contract amount is a comparable level set by the  California State University System.  

The Chair will report directly to the Director of CSSSA. The contract starting date will be  immediately upon hire.

Selection Process 

Section 8955 of the California Education Code requires that faculty of the CSSSA Program be  annually selected, subject to the final approval of the Director of the CSSSA , and by the  CSSSA Board of Trustees, upon consultation with a faculty selection panel convened by the  CSSSA Board for that purpose. The faculty selection panel shall be composed of professional  artists and arts educators, selected to be broadly representative of the schools, institutions, arts  organizations, artists, colleges, and universities located throughout the state. Members of the  CSSSA Board of Trustees may serve on the faculty selection panel, but shall comprise no more  than one-third of any faculty selection panel. 

Upon review of submitted applications by the Selection Committee, select candidates will be  contacted for an interview. The Selection Committee may request a second interview with the  CSSSA Board of Trustees before the finalist is chosen.  

The Dance Chair shall be chosen for their excellence in artistic production, direction, and / or  teaching ability. CSSSA does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, ancestry,  religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status,  veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic which may be specified by law or  state policy. 

RFA Posting Information 

Posting Date: December 15, 2022 

Applications Due: January, 2023 at 5:00 pm, Pacific Time 

RFA Submission Requirements 

Applications will be accepted electronically. Please submit required and/or optional documents  to CSSSA’s Director, Matthew Gallagher (he/him), by email at mgallagher@csssa.ca.gov.  Incomplete and late applications may not be accepted and will be at the discretion of the  Selection Committee.  

Required Documents: 

1. Curriculum Vitae/Resume 

Optional Documents: 

1. Creative Portfolio/Website 

2. Educational Philosophy 

3. Statement of Qualifications – no longer than two pages, and address the following four areas: 

a. Please introduce why you are interested in this position. 

b. Please describe how your qualifications, professional training and/or experience  makes you the ideal candidate for this position.  

c. Please describe how as an artist you stay current with cutting-edge trends in  dance education as well as opportunities in the creative industries for young  dancers.

d. Please describe your experience and commitment with cultural and economic  diversity in arts education.

Note: The CSSSA Foundation is posting these contractual positions on behalf of its partner organization, CSSSA. Individuals hired will work for CSSSA, not the CSSSA Foundation.