OPEN CALL: Boston Dance Theater Trainee Program

LEARN MORE

January 20 – November 20, 2026

Train professionally. Create rigorously. Take the next step toward your career in the arts.

 

ABOUT

The Boston Dance Theater Trainee Program bridges the gap between a dancer’s formative training and professional or collegiate pursuits. BDT’s philosophy and process stretch the self-imposed limits of developing artists—physically and mentally—as performers and co-creators, emboldening them to fearlessly take their place in the 21st-century dance landscape.

 

PROGRAM

The Trainee Program is a full-time, 11-month educational experience designed for pre-professional dancers ages 17–24 who aspire to join a professional company or take a gap year between high school/college and entering the professional world.

Trainees:

-Train daily with BDT’s main company

-Rehearse, perform, and create alongside Core Members

-Understudy company members in commissioned works

-Perform across New England venues and festivals

-Receive 1:1 mentorship with Co-Artistic Director Jessie Jeanne Stinnett

-Graduate with a polished audition package tailored to their artistic voice

Since its founding in 2018, BDT trainees have performed at:
The Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Starlight Theater, Salem Arts Festival, Goethe-Institut Boston, Newport Dance Festival, and more.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must be 17+ at the time of audition

High school diploma or equivalent required before program start

 

APPLY

Program Dates: January 20 – November 20, 2026
? Location: Boston, MA

For application details, contact:

Sean Pfeiffer, Program Administrator — sean@bostondancetheater.com

? Ready to take your next step? Apply now to join Boston Dance Theater’s 2026 Trainee Cohort.