GibneyPRO Professional Certificate Program

GibneyPRO centers around the creative process. Each semester features three guest choreographers alongside technique classes, somatic offerings, professional development, mentorship, and connection with the Artistic Associates and leadership of Gibney Company. Cultivating artistic development, GibneyPRO allows for dancers to dive deeply into each choreographer’s world as well as explore their own creative voice.

Dancers will have access to studio space for creative exploration and choreographic development. Each semester will include three informal studio showings of the guest choreographers and dancers’ work. The final showings of works in process by the guest choreographers and selected dancer works will be showcased at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center. Every show is for an invited audience that includes industry professionals, directors, management, friends, and family.

At the core of the program is its connection with Gibney Company. Participants will connect with the Company’s Leadership and Artistic Associates through:

• • Weekly classes with Gibney Company Director, Gilbert T Small II and rotating Artistic Associates
  • Informal showings and dialogue with Gibney Company centered upon participants’ creative processes
  • Observation of Gibney Company rehearsals and access to select, private dress rehearsals
  • One complimentary ticket to each of the Gibney Company New York City performances in the Fall and Spring. 
  • Professional development workshops with Gina Gibney and Company Director
  • Invitation to participate in future Gibney Company auditions

• Note: Company interaction will shift to accommodate the company residency and touring schedules as needed.

Connection with Gibney Company, including interaction with Company Director and Artistic Associates

Daily Technique Classes, curated exclusively for the GibneyPRO dancers by Alexandra Wells

• Designed in direct response to the current climate of the profession, classes provide the tools necessary to thrive in a multiplicity of contexts
• Styles offered include Ballet, Contemporary, Countertechnique, IMAGE TECH ™, Improvisation, Gaga/dancers, Chuthis Ideas, Dynamic Sequencing, FoCo technique™, Floorwork, Irene Dowd anatomical sequences, Qi Gong, and Afro-House Fusion

Creative Processes for new works with the guest choreographers, will incorporate research, collaboration, improvisation, and open dialogue

• New Works in Process with Adam Barruch, Sidra Bell, Peter Chu, Laja Field of LAJAMARTIN, Ana Lucaciu, and a special guest to be announced soon

Autonomy – Open Studio Access provides an opportunity for dancers to deepen their creative practices through the availability of free studio space at Gibney.

Informal Studio Showings mark the culmination of each guest artist’s creative process. Works created by the dancers will also be presented at the informal showings followed by a talk-back with the artists. GibneyPRO includes six informal studio showings. 

Final Showings

• GibneyPRO includes five final showings.
• In the fall, PRO guest choreographers’ and selected PRO dancers’ works in process will be presented The Theater at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center on December 14, December 15, and December 16, 2023
• In the Spring, PRO guest choreographers’ and selected PRO dancers’ works in process will be presented at The Theater at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center on May 23, May 24, and May 25, 2024
• The final showings are by invitation-only for industry professionals, directors, management, friends, and family members

Mentoring provides continual opportunities to connect with GibneyPRO leadership, Director Alexandra Wells and Rehearsal Director Bret Yamanaka. Program leadership will listen and support each individual’s research, pathfinding, choice-making, and dreaming, and will work with every dancer to consider their whole artist-self. In addition, the dancers have access to one-on-one mentoring with the Gibney Education team regarding their professional materials.

• Each semester will include a dedicated Mentoring week.

Professional Development sessions, curated by Gibney Director of Education Jessie Kardos, support the pursuit of unique and sustainable careers. Dancers will gain the necessary tools to build and sustain their own unique career in dance. Workshops will cover an array of foundational skills for independent artists including writing compelling artist statements, financial literacy, marketing, entrepreneurship, and more.

Artist Talks facilitate conversations with artists and dance-workers of diverse backgrounds. With consideration for a multiplicity of career expressions and entry points, these conversations with artists and dance-workers of diverse backgrounds will aim to expand the cohort’s understanding of what a career in dance can be. 

Kinected Pilates Certification Program. GibneyPRO participants receive exclusive discount opportunities for pilates certification programs offered by kinected edu. This discount does not expire and can be redeemed at any time. Learn more.

FALL 2023 SEMESTER 

September 12 – December 16
Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm daily
No classes: October 9 & November 21-25

Informal showings 

Friday October 6, 6:00 pm
Friday, November 3, 6:00 pm
Friday, December 1, 6:00 pm

Final Showings:

PRO Guest Choreographers’ and select dancers’ Works in Process presented at The Theater at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center
Thursday, December 14, 6:30 PM
Friday, December 15, 6:30 PM
Saturday, December 16, 5:00 PM

SPRING 2024 SEMESTER

February 20 – March 25
Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm daily
No classes: March 18 & 19 & April 15 – 19

Informal showings: 

Friday March 15, 6:00 PM
Friday April 12, 6:00 PM
Friday May 10,  6:00 PM 

Final Showings:

PRO Guest Choreographers’ and select dancers’ Works in Process presented at The Theater at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center
Thursday, May 23, 6:30 PM
Friday, May 24, 6:30 PM
Saturday May 25, 5:00 PM

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Participants are expected to attend all classes, rehearsals, sessions and showings. Absences due to illness, injury, emergency, or auditions will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Advance communication is of the utmost importance.

The curated weekly schedule ensures that dancers will create a network of professional contacts throughout their time in the program. Content will shift week to week. Daily start and end times, 10:00am – 6:00pm, are consistent throughout the program.

GibneyPRO 2023-24 Schedule

Note: Company interaction will shift to accommodate the company residency and touring schedules as needed.

• All applicants must be 18 years of age or older by the start of the program. 
• Ideal candidates are porous individuals who are deeply invested in furthering their artistic research and physical skills, as well as engaging in collaborative creative processes. Ideal candidates are accustomed to or prepared for a rigorous dance training schedule.
• We aim to cultivate an inclusive and diverse cohort and welcome applicants from all backgrounds inclusive of race, ethnicity, national origin, culture, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, and political beliefs. 
• English Proficiency is not required, though an understanding of English is strongly encouraged to take full advantage of all program components. 
• Gibney can sponsor M-1 Student Visas for International participants (information below)
• All applicants must provide a physical evaluation from a doctor attesting to their capability to participate in a rigorous program prior to the start of the fall semester.
• Attendance Policy: Participants are expected to attend all classes, rehearsals, sessions, and showings. The program is centered around creative processes with guest choreographers, which rely on collaboration. Therefore, the cohort’s collective and consistent presence is fundamental to the success of each participant. 
• Causes for Dismissal: If, at any point, a participant has demonstrated behavior deemed in violation of the code of conduct, including violation of COVID-19 safety policies, it may be cause for dismissal from the program. Dismissal from the program does not constitute a reason for any refund. If a Visa participant is expelled from the program, they must leave the US immediately.

Application Deadlines

For Video Submissions: Sunday, March 10, 2023, 11:59 pm Eastern Time
For In-Person Auditions: Sunday, March 17, 2023, 11:59 pm Eastern Time

Application Details

You will be asked to submit:

• • • Name, Age, Email, Phone Number, Personal Pronouns, Address
    • Visa Applicants should note nationality, visa status
    • One-page artistic resume
    • Headshot
    • A Statement of Interest (written or video)
    • Non-refundable application fee*
      • $35 for Mail-in Video Application
      • $25 for Live Audition Application

*The inability to pay an application fee should never be a barrier to apply. If the application fee is prohibitive for you, please contact erin@gibneydance.org to request a fee waiver. 

In-Person Auditions

• Saturday, March 25 or Sunday, March 26, 2023 10:30pm-5:30pm at Gibney 280
• Applicants can select their preferred day and we will do our best to accommodate requests. Applicants should be prepared to stay the full 7 hours. All applications received by the deadline will be invited to audition.
• The audition panel will consist of the GibneyPRO leadership and Gibney Company Artistic Associates. 
• The in-person audition will include: Ballet, Repertory, and Improvisation.
• All applicants will participate in the Ballet and Repertory portions of the audition. Select dancers will be invited to return for improvisation and interviews with the panel on the same day.

Video Auditions

• Submit 3 minutes of ballet class center exercise, 3 minutes of contemporary class or repertory in your preferred vernacular, and 1-3 minutes of improvisation.
• Select dancers may be scheduled for virtual interviews.

• Applicants will be notified of acceptance by Friday March 31, 2023
• Accepted dancers must confirm acceptance with non-refundable $500 deposit due by April 23, 2023
• Please see details below 

Full Tuition: $13,000

• Payment Schedule
  • Confirm acceptance with non-refundable $500 deposit due by April 23, 2023
  • 50% of remaining tuition payment due by May 26, 2023
  • Final tuition payment due by July 1, 2023
  • Payment plans available upon request
• Refund Policy
  • Application fees and deposits are non-refundable. 
  • If you are applying for Visa sponsorship and your visa is not approved in your home country, Gibney will refund 90% of tuition paid to date, prior to the start of the program. 
  • Because supporting dancers to find work and sustainable careers is a goal of PRO, dancers who withdraw from the program in advance for work may receive a partial refund with a signed contract that demonstrates their conflicting dates with the GibneyPRO program. We can process a partial refund of any tuition paid to that point, except the $500 non-refundable deposit, as long as the request is received before July 15, 2023.
  • No refunds are given after July 15, 2023 and once the program has started, regardless of program completion or withdrawal. Dismissal from the program will not constitute a reason for any refund.

Need-Based Scholarships

• We aim to cultivate an inclusive and diverse cohort and welcome applicants from all backgrounds inclusive of race, ethnicity, national origin, culture, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, and political beliefs.
• A limited number of scholarships are available based solely on financial need.
• We cannot guarantee any requested scholarship amount, but will work with participants to meet their needs to the best of our ability.

Scholarship Award Process

• Within your audition application, please note that you are interested in applying for a scholarship
• Scholarship interest and applications will be reviewed separately from the audition applications. Your scholarship interest will not be shared with audition panelists.
• If accepted into GibneyPRO, you will be asked to provide tax forms and a Statement of Need by April 7, 2023
• Scholarship awards will be shared by April 14, 2023

Scholarships are available thanks to generous support from The Meringoff Family Foundation, The Mertz Gilmore Foundation, and The Ready Foundation

GibneyPRO takes place in-person at Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center, 280 Broadway, Entrance at 53A Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City

Participants are responsible for finding their own housing for the duration of the program. In order to assist participants in choosing a suitable housing arrangement, Gibney provides a list of housing options as a helpful starting point. Gibney is not in any way affiliated and does not benefit financially from these presented options. The list will be shared upon acceptance into the program. 

Gibney sponsors M-1 Student Visas for international students participating in the program.

• The M-1 visa is for nonacademic or vocational studies. M-1 visa holders for technical and vocational programs are not permitted to work during the course of their studies. Therefore, M-1 visa applicants must have evidence that sufficient funds are immediately available to pay all tuition and estimated living expenses for the entire period of their intended stay. Pilot estimated living expenses, for six months, and full tuition totals $22,600 USD. 
• ESTIMATED MONTHLY LIVING EXPENSES TO DEMONSTRATE
  • Rent & Utilities: $925
  • Food: $350
  • Transportation: $125
  • Personal (cell phone, clothing, etc.): $200
  • Total Monthly Estimate: $1,600

• While studying in the United States, it is essential to maintain your M-1 student status. M-1 visa holders must complete at least 22 hours of class per week and it is the duty of the student to maintain their status by respecting attendance requirements. Full program participation will meet or surpass the required hours for M-1 visa-holders. Failure to meet the attendance requirements could result in dismissal from the program and/or loss of M-1 status for visa holders. 
• If you are accepted into the program, you will receive detailed information about applying for the M-1 visa. You will submit information for your I-20 form and your Statement of Finances by June 1, 2023. Then, Gibney creates your I-20 form and mails it to you. Upon receipt, you will pay a $350 SEVIS fee and schedule an appointment at the US Consulate in your home country. After attending the consulate appointment and receiving approval for the visa, you may enter the US up to 30 days before the start of the program.
• For more information about the M-1 visa and process, please visit studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students or contact Gibney Education Program Staff at jessiek@gibneydance.org.