Young Dancers Intensive Mentors
June 24 – July 12, 2025
These are residential positions on the Bates College campus. Single dorm room accommodations and meals are provided.
The Young Dancers Intensive (YDI) Mentor position is a rewarding opportunity to work with BDF’s cohort of Young Dancers, a group of 50-70 teens from around the country. The Mentors, a group of working dance professionals, serve as both camp counselors and artistic mentors while providing general support to the students, staff, and faculty of the Festival. The Mentors embody the values of the festival, balancing rigorous artistic practice with non-competitive and supportive inclusivity. The Mentors work as a team to provide the students with tools for self-care, building community, and how to thrive in continued studies and an eventual career in dance.
Responsibilities include coordinating and supervising a group of 10-15 students; communicating regularly with the Director of Mentorship, festival staff, and faculty; daily check-ins with students; leading nightly hall meetings with students; attending nightly meetings with Director of Mentorship; taking approximately 2 classes each day with students; provide artistic mentorship and feedback for student choreographers; odd jobs as delegated by Director of Mentorship.
Applicants will have 2+ years working with teens (teaching, supervising, and/or mentoring); 3+ years of dance training in higher education (College, University, Professional Training or equivalent); demonstrated consideration of issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in dance and/or dance education; ability to adapt to a changing environment and handle multiple priorities; work effectively in large and small groups; evidence of leadership, collaboration, and highly integrative settings; and be at least 21 years of age by June 24, 2025.
YDI Mentors are temporary employees of Bates College and hiring is contingent upon a background check. The fee for this position is $2,500.
Deadline extended!
Please submit your resume and a short letter of interest highlighting applicable skills to dancefest@bates.edu by January 16, 2025.
