Position: Choreographer - Head Over Heels
Employment Type: Seasonal Contract
Reports To: Stage Director
Target Performers: High School Students
** The hourly rate for this role is $50.00, and the expected number of hours for this production is approximately 100 hours.
Description:
The Theatre Program is seeking a high-energy, collaborative, and student-centered choreographer for our upcoming spring production of the hit musical, Head Over Heels. The choreographer serves as both a creative leader and an educator. You will design, teach, and clean all dance sequences, adapting routines to elevate student performers of all experience levels while maintaining high production value and a safe, inclusive environment.
Key Duties:
- Conducting a welcoming, low-stress dance audition to evaluate student coordination, rhythm, and willingness to learn.
- Choreographing dances to advance the plot, reveal character depth, and embrace the show's themes.
- Teaching foundational dance terminology, syncopation, spatial awareness, and proper physical execution to prevent injury.
- Creating safe movement that accounts for student fitness levels, as well as any heavy/restrictive costumes.
- Collaborating with the Artistic Team to ensure the choreography matches the students' capabilities, as well as the vision of the story.
- Providing clear feedback to help students to make improvements.
- Refining dances during tech week to adapt safely to costumes, props, lighting cues, and physical set pieces.
- Guiding a student Dance Captain to video record dances, run physical warm-ups, and take dance rehearsal notes.
Audition Dates
November 30 to December 4, 2026, 3:30 to 6:30pm.
Rehearsal Dates
Start Date: January 6, 2027, Mondays through Fridays, 3:40 to 6:00pm.
February 22 to March 12, rehearsals end at 6:30pm.
Production Meetings
In-person or join through Zoom, Thursdays from 12 to 1pm.
Cue-To-Cue Technical Rehearsal
Saturday, March 13, 2027.
Dress Rehearsals
March 15 through March 17, 3:30pm to 8:30pm.
Show Dates:
March 18 and 19 at 7:00pm.
March 20 at 3pm.
Qualifications
Skills and Qualifications:
- A bachelor’s degree in dance/choreography.
- Excellent communication skills to direct, inspire, and manage casts under a tight rehearsal schedule.
- Ability to keep groups of high school students focused and motivated during rehearsals.
- Prior experience teaching or coaching teenagers, utilizing a patient, encouraging, and body-positive instructional approach.
- Knowledge of safe dance floor practices, proper stretching, and conditioning suited for an adolescent physical development.
- A strong background in 1980s music-video styles, commercial jazz, hip-hop isolations, and musical theatre storytelling.
- The applicant must successfully complete the school’s background check, provide a current California School Employee Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment Test, and Mandated Reporter Training
Interested applicants should submit an application and resume here, in addition to three (3) professional references. In addition, please send the following to Miguel Zavala (Theatre Teacher) [email protected]:
- Video sample, dance reel, or link demonstrating dance choreography, specifically musical theatre performances with high school students.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in dance or choreography
- Excellent communication skills to direct, inspire, and manage casts under a tight rehearsal schedule
- Ability to keep high school students focused and motivated during rehearsals
- Prior experience teaching or coaching teenagers
- Patient, encouraging, and body-positive instructional approach
- Knowledge of safe dance floor practices, proper stretching, and adolescent-appropriate conditioning
- Strong background in 1980s music-video styles, commercial jazz, hip-hop isolations, and musical theatre storytelling
- Successful completion of the school's background check
- Current California School Employee Tuberculosis Risk Assessment Test
- Mandated Reporter Training
- Three professional references
- Video sample, dance reel, or link demonstrating musical theatre choreography with high school students
What We Do
Lick-Wilmerding High School is a private, non-profit college-preparatory high school in San Francisco. Described as a 'private school with public purpose,' it focuses on developing the 'head, heart, and hands' of students from diverse backgrounds. The institution integrates rigorous academics with technical arts to foster intellectual curiosity, emotional intelligence, and practical skills, preparing students to become lifelong learners who contribute to the world with confidence and compassion.
