Academic​/Instructor Middle School Dance & Drama Teacher; Riverdale School

Middle School Dance & Drama Teacher (2026-27)

Riverdale Country School, a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent all-gender school in New York City, is dedicated to inspiring students to live meaningful and purpose-driven lives. The school achieves this by fostering a culture of academic excellence, critical thinking, and curiosity, supported by a diverse and inclusive community. Riverdale emphasizes both high challenge and high support in its approach to education, encouraging students to engage deeply in interdisciplinary learning, research, and experiential education, both inside and outside the classroom and beyond our campuses.

This holistic approach aims to develop well-rounded individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact on the world.

At Riverdale, we strive to reflect the diversity of the New York metropolitan area in our students, faculty, and staff. We believe that a diverse and inclusive community enriches the educational experience and is integral to our mission. With a student body of approximately 1,300 students from 117 different zip codes, Riverdale is a vibrant community where 48% of our students identify as students of color.

We seek to employ educators and leaders who bring a student-centered approach, passion for their work, a commitment to DEIB, and a desire to contribute to the growth and development of our entire school community.

Riverdale’s Department of Theater, Dance and Film (TDF) seeks an enthusiastic and creative Middle School Dance & Drama Teacher for the  school year, who is passionate about arts education and enjoys working collaboratively on theatrical productions. The ideal candidate will inspire students in grades 6–8 through engaging instruction in dance, drama, and performance, while contributing to school-wide productions and performances in both the middle school and upper school.

This position will teach a maximum of four classes and have an opportunity to work on our co-curricular productions. The Theater, Dance and Film Department produces four mainstage productions a year (one play and one musical per division), and hosts a major end-of-year arts festival on campus, celebrating our student work.

All interested candidates should submit both a resume and a cover letter that includes the styles of Dance/Theater in which you specialize, and any highlights of Directorial/Production experience. Additionally, please submit 1-2 videos of you performing your own choreography and/or students performing your choreography.

• A minimum of three years teaching experience at the Middle and/or Upper School level.
• A bachelor's degree or higher in theater, dance, education, educational theater or a related field.
• Strong technical dance background in modern, ballet, and jazz, with the ability to teach in other styles of dance.
• Solid foundation of improvisation principals, core acting principals, basic technical theater/design and play writing.
• Experience working on educational theater productions, specifically as a Director or Assistant Director.
• Demonstrated commitment to equitable and inclusive teaching practices
• Encourages risk-taking and making mistakes as part of the learning process
• Demonstrated collegiality, collaboration, teamwork, and organization
• Growth-oriented mindset and commitment to ongoing professional learning

$74,745 - $147,199 a year

To apply for this position, please click on the red “Apply for this Job” button. Please submit a resume and cover letter. If there are pronouns we should use in potential future communications, we invite you to share that information with us. For information about this position and all open positions, please visit the Careers page of Riverdale’s website.

Working at Riverdale Country School is a purposeful and meaningful career choice that comes with many benefits including:

Transportation:
Shuttle service is available to/from the 242nd St / Broadway subway station. Limited stops are also available near transit hubs in Manhattan including the Metro North Harlem Station and subway lines – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, A, B, C, and

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