Assistant Professor of Tap and Musical Theatre Dance

The Dance Department within the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley invites applications for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Dance beginning fall semester 2027. We seek candidates who are currently active in artistic, intellectual, and physical pursuits within their areas of practice in the field of Dance.

Based on the successful candidate’s expertise, the candidate will teach studio practice/technique courses in the area of jazz, tap, and musical theatre styles. Additionally, this candidate will collaborate with music and theatre faculty by choreographing musical theatre productions. We seek a candidate that will bring technical expertise and teach sound conditioning practices for the dancer/performer in the pursuit of safe technique practice and injury prevention.

In addition to dance technique courses, the candidate should expect to teach theory courses, based on their experience, such as Dance Philosophy/Criticism, Dance History, Dance Theory, and/or Dance Science. The candidate will enhance the strengths of current faculty through excellence in teaching, mentoring, and supervising students across various expressions of dance performance and/or creative research. The Dance Department seeks a candidate with strong organizational and leadership skills, combined with the ability to foster collegiality and collaborative initiatives both within our dance department and the Rio Grande Valley community.

Successful candidates will pursue a national and international research agenda, including choreography or performance, publications and conference presentations, among other activities. Teaching responsibilities include training and preparing dancers in all three undergraduate programs, BA, BFA, and Teacher Certification programs. Candidates will contribute to the mentorship, review, and assessment of capstone projects, teach studio courses in their area of dance practice; develop new courses; and participate in shared governance through committee service, and Dance Department project initiatives as required.

About UTRGV:

UTRGV serves the Rio Grande Valley and beyond via an innovative and unique multicultural education dedicated to student access and success. By championing leading research, healthcare, and application of university discoveries, we support sustainable development, community engagement, and well-being. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is committed to building and sustaining a highly qualified and talented faculty to pursue excellence in everything that we do, including teaching, research, and service.

Drawing on our unique identity as the leading Hispanic-Serving Institution in a bilingual and bicultural environment, UTRGV will promote student access and success by building from strength in education and creating a vibrant campus experience. By 2027, we will accelerate transformation in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond by driving meaningful advancements in research and creative works, expanding access to high-quality and affordable healthcare, and fostering authentic community engagement and integration.

UTRGV is a distributed campus, one university spanning four counties and multiple locations. Our purpose is to be a university for the entire Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Over 91% of the students enrolled at UTRGV identify as Hispanic, making UTRGV one of the top 3 universities with the highest percentage of Hispanic students. For additional information, please visit UTRGV website.

About the College of Fine Arts:

The College of Fine Arts is led by Dr. Jeffrey Ward, who began his tenure as Dean in 2022. The college leadership team consists of Associate Deans for Academic Affairs, Research and Outreach, and Student Success; and the College Administrator who coordinates all staff across the college.

The college consists of five academic units (School of Art and Design, Department of Creative Writing, Department of Dance, School of Music, and Department of Theatre), the Center for Latin American Arts, and UTRGV ARTS, which manages public performances, exhibits, and outreach.

The College of Fine Arts has nearly 1,850 majors, 114 full-time faculty, and 25 full-time staff. In fiscal year 2025, the College of Fine Arts began a five-year strategic plan that identifies key aspirational objectives and articulates the role of the college in an R1 institution and a vibrant student-life community.