VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF DANCE

Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance

Department of Dance

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

University of Iowa

Appointment begins: August 19, 2026

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Term: 1 year, renewable for up to 3 years.

We are seeking an artist, teacher, and dance-maker whose work is situated in contemporary forms of the African diaspora, with a focus including but not limited to forms such as hip hop, (street dance, breaking) house, and/or vernacular jazz dance. We seek a colleague whose teaching and creative work engages an African diasporic specialization in relation to current practices in contemporary performance, and in relation to a comprehensive concert dance curriculum that spans technique, composition, theory, and repertory. Our new colleague will contribute to our majors-level dance technique curriculum at all levels and will be invited to teach additional courses in core areas such as choreography, BFA/MFA professionalization, or may develop and teach courses bridging theory and practice in their area(s) of specialization. Other contributions to the program could include creating repertory for student performance, graduate and undergraduate student mentoring, teaching in the general education curriculum, and supporting departmental recruitment. We will welcome an individual who maintains strong networks within the professional field, and whose teaching is guided and inspired by their demonstrated achievement in choreographic practice. We welcome candidates to join our faculty and contribute to our department's multi-perspective community.

We will prioritize candidates: 1) with demonstrated ability to teach movement practices (techniques) blending theory and practice in contemporary forms of the African diaspora (such as hip hop, street dance, breaking, house, and/or vernacular jazz dance); 2) whose creative work demonstrates capacity to teach students through original repertory, choreography courses, and to mentor student works; and 3) with demonstrated capacity to engage students from a variety of backgrounds, preparation, and experience.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

To apply for this position, go to https://jobs.uiowa.edu/ and refer to requisition 75852. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Questions should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Professor Jennifer Kayle at Jennifer-Kayle@uiowa.edu.

Supporting materials must include:

• curriculum vitae
• a cover letter including a discussion of your preparation for and interest in this role
• a statement of teaching philosophy that addresses approach to teaching in a BA/BFA/MFA dance program; include a list of courses you are prepared to teach
• links to video samples of choreographic works (completed works of any length may be submitted, no excerpts)

Applicants selected for the second round of consideration will be invited for digital interview and will be asked to submit:

• a sample syllabus
• a 30-minute video of the candidate teaching a movement practice (technique) course

Successful candidates willbe requiredto self-disclose any misconduct history or pending research misconduct investigation, including but not limited to sexual misconduct in prior employment, and provide a related release. Final candidates will be subject to a criminal background and credential check.

Persons with disabilities who needassistanceor accommodations with the application or interview process may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services at (319) 335-2660 orfsds@uiowa.edu.

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discriminationon the basis ofrace, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.

WHY IOWA?

Quality of Life: Iowa City prides itself on being "The Greatest Small City for the Arts," is a UNESCO City of Literature, and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 100 places to live in the US and one of the top 25 best places to live in the Midwest. The Iowa City area has over 300 restaurants providing cuisine from around the world. The area has a beautiful natural landscape that includes parks, woods, prairie, rivers, and lakes.

A Dynamic Program: The Department of Dance offers BA, BFA and MFA degrees with a major emphasis on performance and choreography. The Department produces eight to ten dance concerts each academic year, including the annual Dance Gala which takes place in the 1800-seat Hancher Auditorium. The Department currently serves approximately 150 undergraduate dance majors and minors and 11 graduate students.

Professional Opportunity: The University of Iowa is an R1 institution. All members of our faculty enjoy numerous opportunities to incubate and produce new works. Our faculty disseminate research to a variety of venues, including theatrical spaces and concert halls, performing arts festivals, art galleries and museums, scholarly journals, monographs, textbooks, conferences, art exhibitions, cinemas, internet-based platforms, site-based work, and in the public square.

The UI Department of Dance encourages students and faculty to think across disciplines and to explore opportunities to connect dance with other fields of knowledge. Faculty frequently collaborate with researchers in other university departments. A majority of our undergraduate students are double majors and are encouraged to consider ways dance is a framework for understanding the world. Three of our faculty members hold joint appointments (one each in Theatre Arts, School of Art and Art History, and Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies). Members of our faculty frequently produce interdisciplinary creative and scholarly research.

The University of Iowa is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). College Factual rates UI Dance at #13 (#6 in public colleges and universities) for bachelor's degree programs and #5 (#2 in public universities) for master's degree programs. Our students have gone on to notable careers in the arts as performers, choreographers, professors, studio owners, instructors, arts administrators, and in other fields, such as law, medicine, and business.

The Department of Dance is an integral part of Performing Arts at Iowa and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The University of Iowa is known for its thriving arts programs and Iowa City for its active community arts scene.

• M.F.A. in Dance awarded by the start date.

• College-level teaching experience.
• Demonstrated ability to teach African diasporic contemporary movement practice in the candidate's area(s) of expertise.
• Demonstrated promise in choreographic creative research with expertise in dance-making for proscenium stages and/or works for screen, site, community or interdisciplinary settings.
• Administrative skills to work in an academic environment, including written communication as demonstrated in the application materials.

• Demonstrated instructional versatility in more than one Africanist dance form and/or in western modern/contemporary movement practices.
• Demonstrated capacity to design and teach courses blending theory and practice, including courses that satisfy the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences general education curriculum.
• Professional experience in the dance field.

To start the Online Application process for this position, click the "Apply for This Position" button located below the Contact Information.