Berklee College of Music: Dance Accompanist

Dancer is needed in Boston, United States.

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Client: Berklee College of Music

Location: Boston, United States

Contract: Part Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Modern Dance Class Accompanist

The modern dance class pianist or percussionist shall improvise music to match tempo, meter, musicality and length of dance exercises or combinations given by a dance instructor to dance students. Classes are based on 20th and 21st century concert dance (not social dance) techniques and styles (such as Graham, Horton, and Limón, among others). Styles and idioms of music or playing you provide can vary, depending on the particular movement qualities/aesthetic, but a personalized style that effectively complements the dance movement is often the most ideal. The majority of music played is generally spontaneously composed/improvised on the spot by a capable improviser able to complement and support choreographic movement and able to inspire the dancers.

REQUIRED SKILLS (modern dance class accompanist)

• Advanced technique and strong musicality on one’s primary instrument (piano or percussion)
• Ability to communicate effectively with the teacher, making necessary adjustments in tempo/rhythmic or music choice upon instructor’s request and to tactfully ask for clarification when needed
• Outstanding improvisational skills
• Teacher will usually set a tempo for the accompanist for each exercise or combination and the accompanist improvises while watching the dancers, complementing and supporting the movement with creative musical choices made within the parameters of the instructor’s given tempo and meter
• Ability to keep consistent and precise tempos given by instructor, ability and willingness to adapt to any requested changes
• Ability to occasionally play odd meters/phrases or change meter mid-exercise where required (the instructor almost always teaches an exercise without music first, so the accompanist can observe and note any needed changes that would be expected before playing)
• Ability to play a range of tempos, time signatures and rhythmic/stylistic qualities
• Ability to provide textural, non-rhythmic, timbral-focused sounds when needed

Ballet Technique Class Accompanist

The accompanist shall choose and play at a moment’s notice appropriate music to match the tempo, meter, musicality and length of each ballet exercise (some pieces may need to be edited for length of exercises); or spontaneously compose/improvise to the movement appropriately, most often in a classical style, but occasionally in popular and/or other idioms. Ideally, we are looking for pianists with both strong classical training and strong improvisation skills.

REQUIRED SKILLS (ballet technique class accompanist):

• Advanced classical piano technique
• Excellent sight reading ability and ability to learn intermediate to advanced music quickly
• Improvisational skills; the more fluent as an improviser the better
• Effectively choose appropriate music (or improvise) within seconds’ notice to support each exercise. This takes familiarity and experience with class structure. Improvisational skills are extremely helpful to circumvent any snags in finding music quickly, or as an end itself to provide original inspired music for the dancers.
• Ability to provide a clear sense of beat/pulse/timing to ensure dancers feel confident about where they should be in relation to the music at any given moment. Ability to maintain consistent tempo. Use of rubato is appropriate or needed in certain moments or types of exercises.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the teacher, making necessary adjustments in tempo or music choices upon instructor’s request.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in music, preferably in piano or percussion performance

EXPERIENCE

• Strongly prefer previous experience playing for ballet and/or modern dance classes

STUDIO ENVIRONMENT and PROTOCOLS

• Most dance studios are equipped with acoustic pianos (mostly Yamaha U1’s, one concert grand) and a few smaller studios are equipped with digital pianos
• Accompanists generally do not speak during class other than to ask for clarification from the teacher or when approached by the teacher
• Water is allowed in class, but containers should not be placed on pianos