Position Description

INTRODUCTION

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is pleased to invite applications for a one-year Visiting faculty position in the Department of Dramatic Arts at the rank of Visiting Assistant Professor of Movement, or Visiting Instructor of Movement.

The Department of Dramatic Arts seeks a nine-month faculty appointment in a temporary non-tenure-track position beginning Fall 2024. We seek a candidate with strong skills in teaching movement for the actor and stage combat within a University setting and/or professional experience, appropriate to teaching at both the BFA and MFA levels. The teaching load is 3/3 with a course release for stage combat choreography in Connecticut Repertory Theatre productions.

The ideal candidate will have a substantial record of creative work at the professional level, significant experience teaching at the college/university level, be passionate about teaching and collaboration and demonstrate the ability to foster an inclusive and diverse teaching and learning environment. Applicants who hold a terminal degree in Performance or a closely related field may be appointed at the Visiting Assistant Professor in Residence rank. Applicants who do not hold a terminal degree would be appointed at the Instructor rank.

The University of Connecticut’s Department of Dramatic Arts offers BFA degrees in Design/Technical Theatre, Acting, and Puppet Arts, and a BA degree in Theatre Studies. The Department offers an MFA in Theatre with concentrations in Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Technical Direction, Acting, Puppet Arts, and Arts Leadership and Cultural Management. There are twenty-six members of the full-time faculty. The Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) prepares students by blending education and industry. Created as a training ground, and modeled on a stand-alone LORT/regional theatre, CRT produces several productions each academic year in the 486-seat, proscenium-stage Harriet Jorgensen Theatre and the 241-seat, thrust-stage Nafe Katter Theatre. The CRT has a professional staff of ten, several of whom also teach periodically. Also housed within the School of Fine Arts are the Department of Art & Art History, the Department of Music, the Department of Digital Media and Design, the William Benton Museum of Art, the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, and the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.

Founded in 1881, UConn is a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution and member of the Space Grant Consortium. It is the state’s flagship institution of higher education and includes a main campus in Storrs, CT, four regional campuses throughout the state, and 13 Schools and Colleges, including a Law School in Hartford, and Medical and Dental Schools at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. The University has approximately 10,000 faculty and staff and 32,000 students, including nearly 24,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 graduate and professional students. UConn is a Carnegie Foundation R1 (highest research activity) institution, among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, UConn embraces diversity and cultivates leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in its students, faculty, staff, and alumni. UConn promotes the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond. The University serves as a beacon of academic and research excellence as well as a center for innovation and social service to communities. UConn is a leader in many scholarly, research, and innovation areas. Today, the path forward includes exciting opportunities and notable challenges. Record numbers of undergraduate applications and support for student success have enabled the University to become extraordinarily selective.

The UConn Storrs campus is in a beautiful area of New England, with a moderate cost of living and proximity to major cultural, recreational, and urban centers of the Northeast. The University community provides residents with a rich diversity of cultural, artistic, athletic, and historical experiences. UConn is ranked as the top public university in New England, and among the top 25 public universities nationwide.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The faculty member will teach stage combat and movement courses in the MFA and BFA Acting programs, as determined by the needs of the Program and the candidate’s specialties. The faculty member will also serve as fight choreographer for any CRT productions or Department projects that require it. The faculty member may also teach movement for non-majors and perform committee work or other service to the Department.

Our faculty and staff are expected to understand and embrace our commitment to respecting and representing diverse ideas, races, genders, sexualities, abilities, cultures, religions, and traditions. We seek someone who will promote our work toward anti-racism and interrupt behaviors that undermine our ongoing efforts toward a diverse and inclusive community. Members of historically marginalized groups of all held identities are encouraged to apply.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• MFA or Master’s degree in Acting or a closely related field, or commensurate professional experience. Applicants who hold a terminal degree may be appointed at the Visiting Assistant Professor in Residence rank. Applicants who do not hold a terminal degree would be appointed at the Instructor rank.
• Experience teaching Armed and Unarmed Stage Combat at the university or professional level.
• Experience choreographing stage violence for theatre productions with student casts at the college, university, or higher education conservatory level.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching movement for the actor.
• Creative experience that centers on the voices of historically marginalized communities.
• Demonstrated capacity to apply diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in the classroom, production, and academic community.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated expertise and ability to teach movement focusing on a recognized pedagogical practice (e.g., Dance, Alexander, Biomechanics, Mask…).
• Certification from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) at Actor Combatant level or higher.
• Membership in good standing in AEA, SAG-AFTRA, SAFD, and/or SDC.
• Demonstrated capacity to mentor and prepare actors in the early years of professional development to enter the changing professional world.
• Demonstrated capacity to recruit and support diverse, talented, and creative students.
• Ability to engage in consensus-based collaboration with students, staff, and faculty across cultures, inside and outside the classroom.
• Professional training in stage intimacy practices (e.g., Theatrical Intimacy Education, Intimacy Director and Coordinator Professionals, etc.).

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 9-month, faculty appointment in a temporary non-tenure-track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2024. The successful candidate’s academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Faculty may also be asked to teach at one of UConn’s regional campuses as part of their ordinary workload. The salary range is in the low $60,000s with a robust benefits package.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.

TO APPLY

Please apply online to Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/27334 and submit the following application materials:

• A cover letter that clearly indicates how the candidate fulfills all of the Minimum Qualifications and as many as possible of the Preferred Qualifications. The letter should also specifically discuss the candidate’s experience and accomplishments supporting the academic and artistic development of a diverse range of students.
• A CV, or a professional resume that includes detailed information about the candidate’s teaching experience.
• A teaching statement that describes the candidate’s underlying philosophy and practical applications of those principles in teaching movement for the actor, stage combat, and related topics.
• Contact information for three references, which should include educational and professional perspectives. We do not require letters of reference at this time.

Evaluation of applicants will begin immediately. For more information regarding the Department of Dramatic Arts please visit the Department's website at https://drama.uconn.edu/.

At the University of Connecticut, our commitment to excellence is complemented by our commitment to building a culturally diverse community.

This position will be filled subject the budgetary approval.

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse environment for the University community.

The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO Employer.