Description
Located in the heart of Detroit's Cultural Center, Wayne State University is seeking a full-time, tenure-track, Assistant Professor or Associate Professor of Dance in the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance. Depending on qualifications, the appointee to this position may be recommended for tenure at the time of hiring.
The ideal candidate is, first, excited to come to Detroit. Wayne State University's distinct characteristic is its Detroit location. Detroit's diverse culture has had both local and international influence on the arts. Detroit's historic performance venues and its rich history in dance and performance arts serve as an important cultural foundation that continues to inspire contemporary practice. Wayne State University's distinct characteristic is its urban location, and an ideal candidate would make the most of being a part of our vibrant community. Detroit's diverse culture has had both local and international influence on the arts. WSU's Theatre & Dance programs have long played an integral part of performance in the city, and engaging with Detroit's storied performance history is essential to appreciating the depth and significance of the arts in this vibrant community.
The successful candidate will teach courses in dance and may teach in other areas of the department that connect to the candidate's research expertise. The desired candidate specializes in choreography and pedagogy, while contributing to praxis-based learning in other studio courses, which may include dance technique (African or African diasporic techniques, Contemporary, Modern, or Ballet techniques), repertory, or teaching methods depending upon the candidate's expertise. The individual selected for this position should be invested in maintaining a level of creative research at a level needed to achieve promotion and tenure at an R1 institution. They should exhibit exceptional teaching and be invested in designing innovative curriculum to cater to a diverse student body of varying identities and backgrounds who aspire to explore a broad range of educational opportunities and career paths. We prioritize candidates who will effectively support all aspects of the dance program and work well as a collaborative faculty member. The candidate will teach courses during the fall and winter terms and participate in department committees and activities.
MAGGIE ALLESEE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & DANCE:
The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre & Dance serves as a creative incubator for the next generation of artists, thinkers and leaders in theatre, dance, and performance. While the department is grounded in praxis, it is committed to creating thinking artists who have strong foundations in theory, history, and performance studies.
The dance and theatre programs prepare students for professional careers as performing artists, choreographers, designer/technicians, directors, stage managers, administrators, and theorists within the urban, metropolitan context of Wayne State University. The Department of Theatre and Dance is committed to providing students the opportunity to develop within their disciplines through an extensive performance program that includes two major departmental dance productions, four
student company dance productions, six departmental theatre productions, two student theatre productions, a student summer theatre company, and our community outreach performance companies that target the city and metropolitan area's schools. Degrees offered by the department are a BS in Dance, BFA in Dance, BA in Theatre, BFA in Theatre (with concentrations), MA in Theatre and Dance- Teaching Artistry, MA in Arts Administration, and BFA in Theatre (with concentrations); Minors are offered in Africana Theatre and Dance, General Dance, General Theatre, Musical Theatre, Studio and Community Dance, Theatre Design and Technology, and Theatre Management.
The dance program at Wayne State University was established in 1926 and is one of the first dance programs in higher education. Since its establishment, the dance program has evolved to reflect its faculty's pedagogical and artistic strengths. The Allesee Endowment provides extraordinary access to prominent national and international guest artists who stage repertory, create new work, and teach master classes throughout the academic year.
THE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY:
As a university, we value the many cultures of Detroit and beyond, demonstrating commitment through our policies and actions. Through our everyday activities and interactions, creative and scholarly practices, curricular design and teaching, and service and community engagement, we seek to create an inclusive institutional atmosphere that recognizes and celebrates the inherent value of a diverse campus community.
We are a university of access and opportunity, and we have a responsibility to demonstrate a commitment to our mission of providing access to an excellent and affordable college education. We are here to make our students' lives and futures better. Financial aid avenues that help support this commitment are the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Wayne State Guarantee (a tuition-free program open to all Pell Grant-eligible Michigan residents, as well as most families who earn less than $70,000) for first time students, and Michigan Reconnectfortransfer pathways. In addition, the Heart of Detroit award ensures any eligible Detroit-resident student graduating from a high school in the city will have a tuition-free path to a bachelor's degree.
The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance is one of four departments in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; the other constituent units are the Department of Communication, the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, and the Department of Music. The college offers 17 undergraduate programs, 10 graduate programs, and 3 graduate certificate programs. It is home to today's aspiring artists, performers, scholars, dancers, debaters, entrepreneurs and communication professionals who all represent the college's legacy of excellence in our respective fields.
From debate to dance, jazz to journalism, and fashion design to center stage, our students create captivating performances, inspire artistic and academic excellence, and conduct innovative research on behalf of our Detroit community. The college's alumni include a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and winners of and nominees for the Grammy, Emmy, Tony, Golden Globe, Obie, Screen
Actors Guild and Caldecott awards.
Wayne State University is a Carnegie Tier 1 Research (R1) university enrolling more than 24,000 students in 350 undergraduate and graduate programs offered through the University's 13 schools and colleges. Wayne State's immediate neighbors in our Midtown Cultural Center include the Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Detroit Opera Theatre. The vibrant Midtown and Downtown areas are also home to active theatres, galleries, professional sports stadiums, and entertainment venues ranging from Detroit Artist Market and the Fox and Fisher Theatres.
Requirements
The Department seeks candidates who possess the following minimum qualifications: a terminal degree in Dance or related field (PhD or MFA), evidence of successful university teaching for a minimum of three (3) years, capacity to communicate effectively with an ethnically and culturally diverse department, student body, and campus community.
A letter of application, teaching philosophy statement, curriculum vitae, and a list of five (5) references (including names, addresses and contract information) must be submitted through Wayne Talent at https://jobs.wayne.edu
The search committee will begin reviewing applications on January 15, 2026. Applications remain open until the position is filled. The position begins August 18, 2026; salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Inquiries about the position may be directed to:
Biba Bell
Dance Search Committee
Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre & Dance
bibabell@wayne.edu
