ERIKA BANCE
New York,NY
Summary
Experienced dance educator and choreographer in New York City with over 15 years of teaching experience. New York State Certified in Dance & Theatre with a decade of experience overseeing the dance department at a NYC performing arts high school. Received the Big Apple Award Recipient in dance in 2022 for dedication to inspiring student agency, affirming identity, promoting equity, and fostering school-community partnerships. Mentor to Dance Education students at NYU and Hunter College, specializing in culturally and historically grounded choreography that encourages research and creativity.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Cooperating Teacher
NYU and Hunter Dance Education Program
09.2017 - Current
- Hosted multiple students, mentoring them in curriculum development & instructional design
- Mentored student teachers in choreographing full dance pieces for our annual dance concert, providing them with footage for their portfolio
- Observed student teachers and provided constructive feedback to support their professional growth & teaching development
- Facilitated networking opportunities for and provided recommendations to help secure jobs in the dance education industry
- Implemented data-driven instruction to guide lesson planning and improve student performance.
- Assessed student teacher progress regularly using formative assessments and adjusted instruction accordingly to ensure continued growth in all areas of study.
Dance Teacher
Repertory Co. High School for Theatre Arts
01.2014 - Current
- Designed & implemented a four-year dance curriculum for grades 9-12
- Developed curriculum-based lessons that teach students the principle of choreography
- Mentored dancers in acting as associate choreographer for the Mainstage musicals and our Advanced Dance Ensemble
- Fostered alumni relationships by facilitating opportunities for former students to return as teaching artists, set dance pieces, and coach students for auditions
- Coached, scheduled, and filmed senior students for their college pre-screens
- Taught a diverse range of dance styles including jazz, modern, musical theatre, tap, partnering, and cultural style dances
- Assisted in creating & executing PowerPoint presentations for makeup design, styling & sourcing costumes for our Mainstage productions, & delegating student responsibility for these roles
- Led annual auditions for 8th grade applicants and conducted recruitment auditions across multiple neighborhoods and boroughs
- Conducted auditions and choreographed the annual school musical, including Chicago, A Chorus Line, Shrek, Pippin, Fiddler on the Roof, Aida, Annie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Barnum
- Implemented and managed multiple dance & theatre partnerships, including the Tony Award Winning TDF Wendy Wasserstein Project, Flamenco Vivo, EMERGE125 Dance Company, Dance Italia, & Dancewave
- Guided students through the application process & coached auditions for programs including the NYU Tisch Future Artists Program, Dance Italia, Young Dancemakers Company, Martha Graham’s All-City Panorama Project, & the Summer Arts Institute.
- Organized & facilitated feedback sessions with Broadway professionals for a musical theatre audition unit
- Mentor alumni actively auditioning for Broadway, providing coaching, guidance, and support
- Led a weekly after-school tap dance workshop
- Founded and developed and Advanced Dance Ensemble for Juniors & Seniors.
- Recreated Fosse Masterworks for the Advance Dance Ensemble
- Submitted and successfully had Repertory’s Advanced Dance Ensemble accepted into the Manhattan Borough Arts Festival multiple times
- Produced, filmed, & edited three Senior musical theatre shorts during COVID-19 as a virtual culmination of the year’s work
- Choreographed unique routines tailored to individual student abilities, enhancing each dancer's strengths while improving areas of weakness.
Guest Choreographer
George Floyd Memorial Concert at Town Hall Theatre
05.2022 - 05.2022
- Taught and restaged excerpts of Alvin Ailey’s original choreography for Revelations
- Led rehearsals with students and coordinated staging rehearsals with Town Hall Theatre
- Intentionally cast an all-Black ensemble, ensuring representation and authenticity in the production
- Assisted in managing student performers backstage
- Adapted choreography as needed based on performer abilities or technical limitations of venues.
- Composed sequences of steps and moves for dancers.
Choreographer
Nantucket the MusACKal
06.2018
- Choreographer for a professional Equity production, creating original choreography, collaborating with directors and performers, and ensuring the artistic vision was realized in the final performance.
- Created and managed a Google Classroom to organize actors, post rehearsal videos, and streamline communication, ensuring efficient rehearsal scheduling and preparation
- Assisted the Stage Manger & Director with various production tasks, including hanging speakers, painting sets, and liaised with the costume team
Teaching Artist
Statement Arts
01.2012 - Current
- Coordinated and facilitated student enrollment in to the College Prep Program
- Acted as a liaison between organization and school, facilitating communication and providing support; organized and hosted recruiting sessions to engage prospective students
- Freelance choreographer for the Musical Theatre summer camp grades 7-10, collaborating with camp teaching artists, and designing and teaching dance numbers
Choreographer
Northside Charter High School
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Choreographer for You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Cinderella, & Chicago
- Staged & choreographed all musical & dance numbers
- Identified and trained two student dance captains per show
- Led students in daily physical warm-ups
Theater & Dance Teacher
Renaissance Musical Theatre H.S.
09.2012 - 06.2014
- Dance & Advanced Acting Teacher
- Cast, produced, Choreographed, and Directed Annie and Guys & Dolls
- Taught dance & acting & developed an after-school musical theatre course that enrolled 70+ students
- Created & managed backstage production teams for the school musical, overseeing set design, costume, hair and make-up, headshots, and marketing promotions
- Mentored acting students in writing, starring in, and editing, and producing a short film as part of their film & editing unit
- Produced and organized a Murder Mystery dinner for staff and parents as a fundraiser for the Mainstage musical
Theater & Dance Teacher
Williamsburg Charter High School
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Designed & implemented a four-year dance curriculum for grades 9-12
- Established an Advanced Dance Ensemble and produced and annual Dance Concert
- Founded and led an Improv Comedy Team
- Choreographed annual mainstage musicals & Glee Club.
Choreographer
High School for the Environmental Studies
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Choreographer for The Wiz & Annie
- Casted, choreographed and ran rehearsals for a cast of 60 students
- Aided the student costume, hair, and make-up committee by helping create look books and sourcing costumes
- Staged & choreographed all musical & dance numbers
- Led students in daily physical warm-ups
Education
M.A. - Educational Theatre
City College of New York
01.2010
B.A. - Theater & Dance
Northern Kentucky University
05-2003
Skills
- Choreography Mentor
- Choreographer
- Cultural and Historical Choreography Research
- Choreographic & Notation Formation Instruction
- Stylistic Fusion and Layering Techniques
- Dance for Film, Cinematography, & Film Editing
- Curriculum Development
- Musicality awareness
- Improvisational skills
- Creative Director
- Rehearsal Director
- Theatre Director
- Audition & Performance Coach
- Costume Styling
- Stage Makeup
- Stage Combat
- Event planning expertise
- Collaborative mindset
Certification
- NY State Theatre Professional Teaching Certification K-12
- NY State Dance Professional Teaching Certification K-12
Timeline
Guest Choreographer
George Floyd Memorial Concert at Town Hall Theatre
05.2022 - 05.2022
Choreographer
Nantucket the MusACKal
06.2018
Cooperating Teacher
NYU and Hunter Dance Education Program
09.2017 - Current
Choreographer
Northside Charter High School
01.2016 - 01.2019
Dance Teacher
Repertory Co. High School for Theatre Arts
01.2014 - Current
Theater & Dance Teacher
Renaissance Musical Theatre H.S.
09.2012 - 06.2014
Teaching Artist
Statement Arts
01.2012 - Current
Theater & Dance Teacher
Williamsburg Charter High School
01.2010 - 01.2012
Choreographer
High School for the Environmental Studies
01.2009 - 01.2010
M.A. - Educational Theatre
City College of New York
B.A. - Theater & Dance
Northern Kentucky University
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