Harbourfront Centre: Educator, Performing Arts (Dance)

Harbourfront Centre is a leader in providing internationally renowned artistic, educational and recreational programming across a beautiful 10-acre campus at the heart of Toronto’s waterfront. For more than 45 years, Harbourfront Centre has celebrated the best in Canadian culture and the rich mosaic of cultures from around the world, presenting thousands of events annually from music festivals to contemporary dance, to craft and design, to visual arts and more. Welcoming visitors year-round, there is something for everyone at Harbourfront Centre!

We are currently looking to bring on board an enthusiastic, experienced and creative Educator, Performing Arts (Dance)​ to deliver a variety of School Visits dance programs to a diverse student audience.

 

Position Title: Educator, Performing Arts (Dance)

Department: School Visits

Reporting To: Manager, School Visits

Type of Employment: Contract, (0-5 days/week, ASAP-June 21, 2024)

Hourly Wage: $20 per hour

Work Location: Toronto

 

Role Summary
​​Working under the direction of the Manager, School Visits, our Performing Arts Educators are responsible for the daily execution of our School Visits dance programs (Primary Hip Hop, Creative Movement, Urban Dance, Understanding Hip Hop, Latin Dance, and Contemporary Dance), drama programs (Storytelling, Improv, Spoken Word) and/or music program (body percussion). Educators set up, deliver programming, and clean up for their scheduled workshop. In addition to teaching workshops, Educators highlight Harbourfront Centre, our current galleries and exhibitions, and upcoming programs with visiting groups.

​The ideal candidates will have experience leading performance arts programs for children and youth in arts-focused, community-based, or other settings. The ideal candidates should also have the ability to facilitate and lead enriching workshops while promoting the health, safety, and participation of students. As a Performing Arts Educator, a commitment to artistic exploration through personal practice and an ability to convey passion for the arts is encouraged. The ideal candidates will have demonstrated their commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity through their previous approaches with student groups and will commit to ongoing training and development as we strive to support full participation for all attendees.

 

Duties

• Teach a variety of performing arts workshops to a diverse range of students daily, ranging in age from pre-kindergarten to adult learners.
• Prepare, monitor, and reset all classroom spaces.
• Monitor student progress, provide assistance and encouragement, and pace workshop to meet students’ needs, ensuring inclusion of all students remains a top priority.
• Observe experienced educators, engage with program documentation and resources, and facilitate existing performing arts programs to the School Visit standard.
• Engage Educators, co-op students and volunteers in workshops when assigned.
• Provide superior customer service to visiting teachers and student groups.
• Take ownership of student safety during an emergency procedure.
• Work closely with the School Visits Team to develop new program ideas.
• Collaborate with Education Officers on program renewal, keeping optimal student outcomes in mind.
• Keep inventories up to date and in good order, communicating to the Education Officers when materials are running low.
• Maintain personal schedule through online scheduling software.
• Under the guidance of the full-time staff, able to support the professional growth of interns, co-op students and/or volunteers if required.

 

Requirements

• Relevant experience leading workshops with children in any formal or informal setting (school, gallery, museum, before/after school program, camp).
• Ability to work with students of all ages and abilities (NB: most School Visits workshops are facilitated to students from ages 4-18).
• Work independently and take ownership for all aspects of programming (set-up, clean-up, supply management).
• Ability to motivate and engage students during their time in our workshops.
• Strong organizational skills to manage the work days (timing of workshop, safe arrival and departure, lunch routine, classroom space, required materials, etc.).
• Ability to take ownership of student safety during an emergency procedure.
• Lead workshops in at least one of the following dance styles: Hip Hop, Urban Dance, Creative Movement, Contemporary Dance, Latin Dance; AND/OR one or more drama workshops (Storytelling, Improv or Spoken Word); AND/OR one or more music program (body percussion).
• Able to provide or willing to obtain a Criminal Background Check and/or Vulnerable Sector Screening.
• Bilingual (English/French, emphasis on oral proficiency) is desirable.
• Training in education and/or child development (B.Ed., E.C.E., artists in the community, or equivalent).
• Training or education in performing arts (B.F.A., diploma, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with the following dance styles: Hip Hop, Urban Dance, Latin Dance.
• Willingness to teach at locations other than Harbourfront Centre as a part of our In-School initiative as required.
• Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Non-Canadian applicants must have a valid employment Visa and proper documentation authorizing their ability to work in Canada.

Our Values

Open: We’re friendly, welcoming and inclusive, with an experimental attitude that thrives on collaboration.

Brave: To achieve our bold ambition we empower and support imaginative risk and we always try to learn from our mistakes.

Rigorous: We are committed to excellence in all we do, ensuring every visitor encounter is safe, memorable and enriching.

Kind: We value and respect each other and all our visitors, celebrating difference and striving to realise potential.

How To Apply

Harbourfront Centre values and is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in our teams, creative communities, programmes and services. We invite qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Acceptable applications must include a current resume and a cover letter indicating why you would be the perfect fit for the role.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit their candidacy by contacting [email protected] by no later than February 16, 2024. Please quote ​​Educator, Performing Arts (Dance)​ in the subject line of the application.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted. Suitable accommodations will be available upon request during the hiring process.