Ballet Pianist

Joffrey Ballet School is always seeking enthusiastic, creative, and reliable dance pianists to accompany ballet classes for our various divisions at the Joffrey Ballet School. We are currently actively hiring for our studios in the West Village as well as Long Island City.

Ballet pianists supply the music for our ballet classes. Dance teachers demonstrate the combinations and the basic outlines of meter, phrasing and rhythm. It is the job of the pianist to spark these fundamentals and add emotional elements which will further inspire the dancers. This is part-time, hourly work. Musicians report to the Music Director.

• Demonstrable improvisational skill.

Preferred qualifications include

• Experience in playing ballet classes.
• Can play a variety of styles, especially classical, ragtime/jazz, and Broadway show tunes.
• Can rapidly access specific teacher’s and student’s needs and adjust accompanying accordingly.
• Can simplify playing to accommodate children’s classes, which includes occasionally playing nursery rhymes.
• Ability to quickly respond and adapt playing to suit different teachers, dance styles, ages and abilities
• Ability to play modern dance classes.
• 18 or older and permitted to work in the United States.
• Professional and courteous with students, faculty, and administrative staff.
• Willing to commit to confirmed classes with a minimum of cancellations.
• Punctual in keeping to schedules.

• An ability to work collaboratively with teachers in order to play an appropriate range of music to suit varying ages and levels is important as well as sympathy to the requirements of different teaching styles.
• Accompaniment of dance of varying kinds but principally Classical Ballet Class

This is a part time position. Total weekly hours can vary depending on availability of the pianist.