ARTISTIC DIRECTOR CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO AUGUST 15, 2022

Please note: While this job was posted as a position for one person, we welcome applications from candidates who are interested in alternate leadership models, such as a co-leadership structure, with a brief description of the prospective team and shared work structure. If you have an idea or if you wish to discuss how this leadership role could be done remotely, the Search Committee and MDT Board of Directors are interested in hearing your ideas.

Moonhorse Dance Theatre (MDT) is seeking an Artistic Director with a deep connection to our mission and a strong desire to guide the evolution of the company to its next chapter. This is an exciting opportunity to maintain and build upon the celebrated programs and commitment to equity and inclusion of MDT’s founding Artistic Director Claudia Moore, who is stepping down in Fall 2022. Here’s an opportunity to play a vital role in creating space for the continued artistic expression and contribution by Canada’s gifted senior dance artists of all nations and backgrounds, while providing creative engagement for non-professional senior movers and dance lovers of all ages.

About Moonhorse Dance Theatre. We are the only dance company in Canada with a mission to highlight the continuum of skill and wisdom among artists with a lifetime of experience in dance. Senior dance artists hold a wealth of knowledge regarding the essential health benefits of dance to enhance physical ability and creativity, and strengthen social connection.

We firmly believe in the power of art to support the health and well-being of our society, to fight ageism and to uplift humanity in these challenging times. MDT’s vision and practice upholds high standards of equity, justice and compassion for artists of all nations and backgrounds, and seniors of all abilities.

We are looking for a passionate and committed artist leader to honour and build upon the core programs we have developed over the past 25 years, while seeking new opportunities and developing new approaches to the company’s central activities:

Older & Reckless (MDT’s dance performance series now in its 22nd season); the AD curates all programming for this series with input from the Artistic Advisory Group and production/administrative support from the General Manager
Older & Reckless Mentorship Residency (bringing established and emerging artists together for intergenerational learning); the AD identifies and supports the artists for this program in consultation with the Artistic Advisory Group
Engaging Seniors in Dance (providing dance experiences through in-person and online classes, Community Performance Projects and Circle Dance Talks); the AD has creative oversight over this program

These programs have had a significant resonance during the past two years, as COVID revealed the vulnerabilities of senior populations, and the role of artists of all ages as essential workers. Continuing to evolve this vital work provides a unique opportunity to have a positive impact on the art form and on the broader community.

The ideal candidate is an individual with an array of artistic, professional, and producing skills; the ability to communicate with clarity and conviction; an entrepreneurial spirit; a desire to serve the community; and an inclusive vision. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in the professional dance world as a dancer, creator, producer, and/or curator. They will have a broad awareness of dance forms and traditions, curiosity, and the desire and ability to build connections between artists, and with the public.

You should apply if you strongly connect to MDT’s mission and can bring passion, energy, and values of equity and inclusion to the work. Your career is filled with relevant practice and experience. You thrive and grow on relationships and have a strong background in collaboration and an on-going commitment to working collaboratively. You have deep connections to a diversity of practitioners, from seasoned professional dance leaders to creators of every age and background. You wish to create a lasting impact and deliver a strong message for aging in/with the arts. You are eager and able to build on the growing recognition of issues of senior artists and seniors’ health. You have insights into funder and community perspectives on intergenerational learning and the role of senior artists in our rapidly changing times.

Our culturally diverse and multi-generational Search Committee is committed to paving the way to a leadership transition that responds successfully to the needs and desires of the broader dance/performing arts community. It encourages applications by individuals from Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, LGBTQ2S+ and other equity deserving groups.

The position is part-time for 15 – 25 hours/week (note that some weeks will be more labour intensive than others; some weeks will require minimal involvement) with a salary of $30,000 per year.

Moonhorse Dance Theatre is a registered charity with an established administrative structure consisting of a part-time General Manager and a part-time Marketing and Communications assistant, within a remote work situation. The company has an experienced and involved working Board of Directors and an Artistic Advisory Group.

The successful applicant will be supported in their first two seasons by founder Claudia Moore, with an emphasis on the transfer of our most valued partnerships and relationships. There is also funding and opportunity to contract production, program development and strategic fundraising assistance if required.

We welcome the opportunity to talk if you have a new creative and strategic approach to organizational form, structure, revenue generation and ways of working. Short-listed candidates will receive a detailed overview of the Search Committee’s timeline, expectations, and process, which will include an in-person interview.

Please respond by sending a resume and cover letter to:

Search Committee: Moonhorse Dance Theatre

moonhorsesearch@gmail.com

When: by August 15, 2022

Moonhorse Dance Theatre anticipates introducing its new Artistic Director to the community and public at the November 4, 2022 launch of Older & Reckless 2022.

Search Committee Members

Christine Moynihan (Chair of Search Committee, Chair of MDT)

Susie Burpee

Michael Caldwell

Rosemary James

Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane

Neetika Sharma

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