Ballet Mistress
A Ballet Mistress (or Ballet Master when male) is a senior leadership role in professional dance companies and dance schools. This person is responsible for maintaining the quality and style of ballet performances, teaching daily company classes, and ensuring dancers maintain proper technique. They work closely with choreographers and artistic directors to teach and rehearse dance pieces. Think of them as a combination of a coach, teacher, and quality control expert for ballet companies. They're like the technical directors in other industries, but for dance.
Examples in Resumes
Served as Ballet Mistress for a professional company of 30 dancers, leading daily technique classes
Assistant Ballet Mistress responsible for teaching and rehearsing corps de ballet performances
Ballet Mistress and rehearsal director for youth company productions
Typical job title: "Ballet Mistresses"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Ballet Mistresses
Professional Organizations
Job Boards
Professional Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you handle the transition of a production from one cast to another?
Expected Answer: Should discuss experience managing multiple casts, maintaining artistic consistency, adapting choreography for different dancers' strengths, and scheduling strategies.
Q: How do you approach developing and maintaining company style while working with dancers from diverse training backgrounds?
Expected Answer: Should explain methods for unifying technique across the company, respecting individual artistry while maintaining company standards, and developing training programs.
Mid Level Questions
Q: How do you structure daily company class to prepare dancers for the current repertoire?
Expected Answer: Should describe how to design class content that supports current productions, injury prevention, and technical development needs of the company.
Q: What is your approach to correcting technical issues in experienced dancers?
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate knowledge of constructive feedback methods, understanding of advanced technique, and ability to communicate corrections effectively.
Junior Level Questions
Q: How do you maintain notes and records of choreography and corrections?
Expected Answer: Should explain systems for documenting choreography, tracking dancer progress, and maintaining rehearsal schedules.
Q: What experience do you have with injury prevention and basic dance health?
Expected Answer: Should show understanding of proper warm-up techniques, basic anatomy, and when to refer dancers to medical professionals.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-3 years)
- Teaching basic technique classes
- Assisting with rehearsals
- Basic knowledge of repertoire
- Understanding of dance notation
Mid (3-7 years)
- Leading full company rehearsals
- Teaching advanced technique
- Staging existing choreography
- Managing rehearsal schedules
Senior (7+ years)
- Full production management
- Company development planning
- Advanced coaching methods
- Artistic decision making
Red Flags to Watch For
- Limited professional dance company experience
- No experience teaching advanced level dancers
- Lack of knowledge about major ballet repertoire
- Poor communication or leadership skills
Related Terms
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