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Ballet Master - Senior Position

Terrassa, Spain

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Fundació Ballet de Catalunya (Ballet de Catalunya / BNC) — Terrassa / Barcelona, Spain

We're seeking an experienced and outstanding member of staff.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Ballet Master to join our permanent artistic team, working directly with the Artistic Director and the team in the technical, artistic and scenic preparation of the dancers, and in the operational coordination of the Company's creative processes. The position requires an experienced professional able not only to teach and rehearse at the highest level, but also to plan, organise, document and lead the artistic life of the Company with autonomy and critical judgement.

This position is both creative and rigorous by nature — you need to think outside the box. We expect the candidate to be proactive and have a "get it done" spirit. To be successful, you will have solid problem-solving skills.

Key Responsibilities

Teaching and daily training

  • Deliver the daily company class (classical and/or contemporary) ensuring an excellent technical and artistic standard.
  • Design progressive technical plans adapted to the physical and artistic condition of the ensemble.
  • Provide individualised feedback to dancers across all ranks, from Trainees to Principals.

Rehearsals and repertoire preparation

  • Lead rehearsals of the classical repertoire and of neoclassical and contemporary works in the Company's catalogue.
  • Learn choreographic material from video sources and reconstruct it with the highest possible fidelity, preserving the style, intention and detail of the original.
  • Act as répétiteur, transmitting the choreographic line, musicality and dramaturgical content of each work to the dancers.
  • Prepare partnering work and coach soloists and principals in their individual roles and variations.
  • Notate and document changes for consistency across casts and revivals.

Music and musicality

  • Demonstrate solid knowledge of the scores of the main classical ballets and a refined sense of musical phrasing.
  • Work in close collaboration with the rehearsal pianist and/or musical staff, communicating tempi, accents and counts with precision.
  • Coach dancers on musicality as a core artistic value of the Company.

Production, planning and organisation

  • Lead and coordinate artistic planning: rehearsal schedules, studio allocation, daily call sheets, cast lists and substitutions in consultation with the Artistic Director.
  • Contribute to the production and management of performances and events (galas, premieres, tours, festivals).
  • Coordinate with the technical team (lighting, set, costume, stage management) to ensure full artistic coherence between studio and stage.
  • Apply a working knowledge of stage lighting and its expressive implications for choreography and dancers' visibility.
  • Manage practical aspects of the artistic life of the Company (cast changes, shoe orders, dancers' welfare).

Artistic analysis and critical thinking

  • Bring informed artistic judgement to the selection of repertoire and to the technical and artistic evolution of the ensemble.
  • Apply critical thinking to coaching, casting and repertoire decisions, contributing actively to the Company's identity and international profile.

Office and digital tools

  • Use standard office software (word processing, spreadsheets, calendar tools, shared drives) to a professional level for daily planning, documentation and reporting.

Requirements

Experience and training

  • Minimum 5 years of experience as Ballet Master, Ballet Mistress, répétiteur or artistic assistant in a professional ballet company.
  • Previous career as a professional dancer in a recognised company (Soloist or Principal level highly desirable).
  • Training at a reputable international school (Vaganova, Royal Ballet School, Paris Opera Ballet School, Bolshoi, John Cranko, Cuban National Ballet School, Princess Grace, or equivalent).

Technical competencies

  • In-depth command of the classical repertoire (Vaganova, Cecchetti, French school or RAD) and solid knowledge of contemporary and neoclassical repertoire.
  • Demonstrable experience teaching class and conducting rehearsals at a professional level.
  • Ability to physically demonstrate and verbally articulate every aspect of technique with precision.
  • Understanding of biomechanics, injury prevention and dancer welfare.
  • Proven ability to learn and reconstruct choreography from video with the highest fidelity.

Organisational competencies (essential)

  • Outstanding organisational and planning capacity — a fundamental requirement of this position.
  • Proficiency in office software (Word, Excel, calendar and scheduling tools, cloud storage).
  • Ability to manage multiple parallel projects, deadlines and casts.

Music and stage knowledge

  • Working knowledge of music (scores, structure, phrasing) and of stage lighting techniques.

Highly valued (additional assets)

  • Background in production and management of performances and events.
  • Video and sound editing skills.
  • Social media management experience.
  • Notation systems (Benesh, Stepanov, Labanotation) or systematic personal notation.
  • Strong musicality and répétiteur instinct.
  • Demonstrated critical thinking and autonomous artistic judgement.

Languages

  • English: professional working level (essential).
  • Spanish and/or Catalan: desirable.

Personal qualities

  • Leadership, calm authority, and ability to build a demanding yet respectful working environment.
  • Flexibility to be available for scheduled classes, rehearsals, performances and tours, including evenings and weekends.

Conditions

  • Full-time or equivalent contract, according to experience and availability.
  • Competitive salary in line with the candidate's profile and sector standards in Spain.
  • Main location: Terrassa (Barcelona).
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