Professional Ballet Dancer & Faculty Member
Organization: Toledo Ballet, a member of the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts
Position Status: Paid, 45-week non-consecutive commitment
Compensation: Commensurate with abilities and/or experience
Effective Date: August 2024
Overview:
Toledo Ballet seeks professional ballet dancers (male and female) for the 2025-2026 season. Ideal candidates should have a strong foundation in classical ballet training and performance, coupled with a passion for teaching students of various ages and skill levels: advanced ballet and pointe, as well as introductory level classes.
Under the supervision of Toledo Ballet’s Artistic Director and Head of Curriculum, professional dancers will perform in multiple productions, including three full-length ballets performed with the Toledo Symphony, and a June Showcase. They will also teach at Toledo Ballet studios, with additional hours in community outreach programs with partners such as the Boys and Girls Club of Toledo.
If desired, professional dancers can anticipate mentorship opportunities tailored to their professional goals, covering aspects like production, marketing, finance, and arts administration.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States, as no visa sponsorship is available for this position.
Required Qualifications:
- Pre-professional/professional ballet training and performance experience.
- Ability to teach advanced level ballet and pointe using a developmentally appropriate approach.
- Experience working with children.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Familiarity with ABT and other classical ballet teaching methods.
- Prior experience in summer camps or dance studio teaching.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Perform in three full-length ballet productions and Spring Showcase.
- Teach classes across various age groups and levels (pre-primary through advanced).
- Engage in dance outreach activities and events.
- Assist with rehearsals as needed.
- Ensure instructional consistency with existing curricula.
- Other duties as assigned by Artistic Director.
Expectations:
- Foster a positive environment for Toledo Ballet dancers, families, staff, and faculty.
- Collaborate with the Artistic Director and Head of Curriculum.
- Enthusiasm for personal and professional development.
- Attend faculty meetings and adhere to school policies.
- Maintain professionalism in all interactions as an ambassador of Toledo Ballet and the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts.
- Complete a standard background check.
Audition/Application:
To apply, email your materials to eotto@artstoledo.com with your first and last name plus “Audition” in the subject line (e.g. “Jane Smith, Audition”).
Include:
- Resume or CV (.doc, .docx, .pdf files)
- Headshots and dancing photographs (one or more full body photo)
- Video reel showcasing recent dance abilities (recorded within the past 1-3 years)
Review of applications begins on March 31, 2025. Candidates advancing in the process will be contacted via email regarding next steps.
About Toledo Ballet:
Toledo Ballet is a ballet school and pre-professional program that inspires the passions and spirit of the Toledo community through dance. Toledo Ballet provides quality dance instruction and exceptional performance opportunities to over 250 students throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan annually.
Founded in 1939 by Marie Bollinger Vogt, Toledo Ballet continues to offer quality dance education spanning all ages and ability levels. Classes include ballet, contemporary, tap, tumbling, and Adaptive Dance, a unique class providing those with special needs an opportunity to learn to move in ways that come naturally to them. Acting, voice, musical theater, and conditioning are also offered at the school. In addition, Toledo Ballet brings in world-renowned, professional dancers each year to lead its summer intensive programs, drawing students from across the region seeking to advance their skills.
Toledo Ballet students have competed at the national and international level, including the Youth American Grand Prix (YAGP), and many graduates have pursued dance professionally at some of the most prestigious ballet institutions in the nation, including New York City Ballet, Ballet Met, and Cincinnati Ballet.
On January 1, 2019, the Toledo Ballet and Toledo Symphony officially merged to form the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), a new non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional live music and dance performances and education for the region. Stemming from an 81-year partnership and annual presentation of The Nutcracker in Toledo, this merger is one of only a few in the nation and promises to create new and invigorating programs, provide cost and revenue synergies in operations, and integrate the arts through shared educational missions.
About the Artistic Director:
Eric Otto was born and raised in Westchester County, New York. He began dancing at the age of seven with the School of American Ballet in New York City. He has danced professionally with the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and BalletX.
He was an original cast member of Twyla Tharp’s Come Fly Away, performing the leading role of Sid. Mr. Otto was invited to join the cast of Tharp’s Movin’ Out where he starred in the Broadway and First National Tour companies as James. He appeared on Broadway in The Phantom of the Opera and toured with Twyla Tharp for her 50th Anniversary.
Mr. Otto has performed an extensive repertoire, including ballets by Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Jiri Kylian, Kenneth MacMillan, and Jerome Robbins. He has danced roles created for him by Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Lynne Taylor-Corbette and Matthew Neenan.
Most recently, Eric served as the Artistic Director of the Peoria Ballet in Illinois. He has also been a Ballet Master for BalletX in Philadelphia and taught on faculty at Ballet Academy East and Peridance in NYC. He is on guest faculty with The Rock School for Dance Education and the Joffrey Academy of Dance in Chicago. Eric Otto is an ABT Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT Teacher Training Intensive in Pre-Primary through Level 6/7 and Partnering of the ABT National Training Curriculum.
As a choreographer, Eric has received commissions by Peoria Ballet Company, Albany Berkshire Ballet, The Joffrey Academy of Dance, Saratoga Arts Fest, The Bruce Museum, Bucknell University and Skidmore College.
About the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts:
The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) strives to establish meaningful partnerships with individuals and organizations that fundamentally impact the cultural life of our region. A performing arts collective consisting of the Toledo Symphony, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Symphony School of Music, and Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras. TAPA is a vibrant and growing organization that empowers all in our region to experience the performing arts through concerts, recitals, education programs, private lessons, community outreach, fully staged productions, and more.