Kaley Pruitt Dance is seeking collaborators for creative residency activity in June 2026, with potential for future projects and touring. Artistic Director Kaley Pruitt is a 2026 awardee of the New York State Choreographer’s Initiative (NYSCI), administered by New York State DanceForce and supported by the New York State Council on the Arts.

These grant residencies function as creative laboratories which serve as a catalyst for the choreographer’s research. They are experimentation-based, process oriented, and not tied to a final performance.

Residency Dates

Artists must be available the following dates:

- Saturday 6/13, 1-6pm & Sunday 6/14, 12-5pm (in NYC)
- Thursday 6/18 – Sunday 6/21 (all day rehearsals in Brockport, NY – travel would occur within this timeframe)
- Friday 6/26 & Sunday 6/28 (in NYC) *exact times TBD, must be available all day each date

Compensation

$50/hour for approximately 32–36 total rehearsal hours across the three residencies. Travel, lodging, and per diem will be provided for the Brockport residency.

About the Work

Pruitt creates interactive dance theater rooted in kinesthetic empathy, audience interaction, and embodied civic discourse. We are looking for strong, versatile movers (contemporary, modern, dance theater, physical theater, partnering/contact backgrounds encouraged) who are excited to work with a high level of speaking, improvisation, and real-time audience interaction.

We are especially seeking generous, curious “people people” who thrive in collaborative environments and are eager to reimagine what performance can be. Audience interaction directly shapes the choreography in Pruitt’s work, and we are looking for dancers who can balance articulate, full-bodied physicality with authentic presence and communication.

Eligibility

- Must be a New York State resident (per grant guidelines). Artists who have their permanent address in New Jersey are not eligible.
- Must reside in or be able to commute to NYC.

Audition Process

The in-person invited audition/workshop will be held in NYC on Friday April 24th from 12:30-3:30pm.

To be considered, submit the following in one email to kaleypruittdance@gmail.com by Saturday April 4th.

Please attach your headshot and resume, and include video links in the body of the email. Please use the email subject: First Last Audition Materials

1) Headshot

2) Resume/CV

3) 2-3 minutes of continuous, unedited improvisation in your preferred movement aesthetic

4) Artist reel (3 minutes maximum) of performance and/or studio material. If longer, please provide a specific timecode range. Please include partnering/group work if possible.

5) A short set solo (30 seconds–1 minute) in which you speak while moving, sharing a brief personal anecdote or short story. The text should feel conversational and natural, prioritize speaking as yourself rather than “performing.” Keep the delivery fluid and paced as you would when telling a story, avoiding theatricality or abstracted language delivery. We’re interested in your ability to speak and move simultaneously, allowing the text to be heard and be relatable, while still making specific, articulate movement choices and maintaining a genuine connection with the audience. (For an example, please watch this excerpt from our recent evening length interactive dance theater production)

If you have questions, please email kaleypruittdance@gmail.com. We look forward to reviewing your materials.

KPD is committed to pay transparency, fair compensation, and equitable hiring practices. Every applicant will receive a response, and personal feedback is available upon request.