Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Dance Company Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Dance Company Manager is the operational backbone of a professional dance ensemble, responsible for the seamless execution of artistic vision through practical management of people, budgets, schedules, touring logistics, fundraising, and stakeholder relationships. This role ensures dancer welfare, contractual compliance, efficient production logistics, and strong relationships with venues, presenters, donors, and the Board. The ideal candidate combines proven performing arts administration experience with exceptional organizational, financial, and interpersonal skills to enable artistic teams to focus on creative excellence.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Production Coordinator (Dance/Performance)
Touring / Road Manager Assistant
Arts Administration Assistant

Advancement To:

General Manager / Executive Director (small to mid-size company)
Director of Operations / COO (larger arts organizations)
Producing Artistic Director or Company Artistic Administrator

Lateral Moves:

Touring Manager / Presenter Relations Manager
Production Manager (theatre/performing arts)
Development Manager or Institutional Advancement Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Oversee all day-to-day company operations, including rehearsal and performance scheduling, dancer contracts and payroll, rehearsal studio bookings, and maintaining accurate personnel records to ensure consistent organizational function and legal compliance.
Manage annual company budgets and cash flow forecasting; prepare monthly financial reports, variance analyses, and budget recommendations for the Artistic Director and Board to support sustainable programming and touring.
Lead contract negotiation and administration for artists, guest choreographers, rehearsal directors, technical crews, and independent contractors, ensuring fair labor practices, compliance with union agreements where applicable, and clarity of deliverables.
Coordinate all touring logistics including travel reservations, visas and work permits, accommodation and per diems, freight and equipment shipping, advance paperwork for presenters, routing and tour budgets to ensure safe, cost-effective mobility.
Serve as primary liaison between artistic staff and technical/production teams to plan load-ins, rigging, tech rehearsals, cue sheets, production calls, and strike procedures, guaranteeing performances meet artistic standards.
Develop and maintain relationships with presenters, venues, festivals, and co-producers; negotiate contracts, rider needs, and performance fees while representing the company professionally to expand touring and presenting opportunities.
Direct human resources functions for company personnel: recruitment, onboarding, benefits administration, leave management, health and safety compliance, and maintaining confidential personnel files.
Oversee payroll processing for salaried and freelance artists and staff, manage timesheets and expense reconciliations, collaborate with external payroll/finance providers and ensure timely, accurate payments.
Lead grant writing, reporting and donor stewardship in partnership with development staff or consultant — draft proposals, compile supporting materials, and ensure grant compliance and timely reports to funders.
Create and implement comprehensive season production calendars, coordinating rehearsal schedules, studio allocations, public performances, community engagement events, and touring commitments to avoid conflicts and maximize resource use.
Build and implement risk management and emergency response plans including medical protocols for dancers, injury reporting, insurance claims, and contingency planning for travel or venue disruptions.
Supervise technical production budgets and procurement: manage rentals, purchases, vendor contracts, and inventory for costumes, props, lighting and sound equipment, ensuring cost-effective purchasing and maintenance.
Manage marketing and audience development coordination with communications teams: provide production information, artist bios, and scheduling details; assist in ticketing strategies, group sales outreach, and community engagement planning.
Prepare materials and reports for Board meetings, including operational updates, financials, touring pipeline, risk assessments, and strategic priorities to support governance and fundraising initiatives.
Oversee residency and education program logistics: scheduling artist-led workshops, school partnerships, contracts for teaching artists, materials procurement, and evaluation metrics to maximize community impact.
Monitor and maintain workplace culture and dancer welfare programs, including mental and physical health resources, injury prevention protocols, rehearsal load monitoring, and mediation of interpersonal conflicts.
Implement and maintain company policies and procedures: code of conduct, equal opportunity practices, travel policies, expense policies, child protection (if applicable), and confidentiality protocols.
Manage licensing, copyright, and intellectual property agreements for choreographic works, music usage, and filmed performances; coordinate legal counsel when necessary to protect company assets.
Coordinate with technical directors and designers to schedule load-in/load-out windows, tech rehearsals and stage calls; create and maintain up-to-date production prompt books and technical rider templates.
Develop and monitor metrics for operational performance and audience analytics; prepare post-tour and post-season reports with insights to inform programming, marketing and financial decisions.
Act as the company’s primary point of contact during performances and tours, problem-solving on-site issues, communicating with presenters and venue staff, and ensuring the safety of artists and crew at all times.
Supervise volunteer programs and front-of-house operations when needed, including usher coordination, accessibility services, and patron-facing logistics to create welcoming audience experiences.
Lead procurement and vendor relationships for travel, catering, accommodation, and local production services during tours; negotiate rates and manage purchase orders to control costs.
Manage special projects such as co-productions, film shoots, cultural exchanges, or international tours by coordinating cross-functional teams and external partners to successful completion.

Secondary Functions

Support fundraising events, galas and donor cultivation activities by coordinating logistics, artist participation and backstage hospitality.
Contribute to strategic planning by providing operational input on capacity, resource constraints, and growth opportunities.
Assist marketing and communications with content creation by providing production notes, behind-the-scenes access, and artist interviews for digital campaigns.
Coordinate ad-hoc community engagement initiatives, school residencies, and outreach projects to extend the company’s public profile.
Participate in selection and onboarding of production vendors and freelancers; conduct post-engagement evaluations to improve supplier performance.
Maintain and update the company’s operations manuals, emergency procedures and touring checklists to incorporate lessons learned from each season.
Collaborate with finance to support annual audit preparation and year-end reporting by supplying operational documentation and reconciliations.
Represent the organization at industry meetings, conferences, and professional networks to build partnerships and stay current with sector best practices.
Facilitate internal communications across artistic, technical, development and administrative teams to align priorities and timelines.
Help manage digital asset libraries (photos, program notes, music files) to ensure rights compliance and ease of access for marketing and producing teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Performing arts operations management — demonstrated experience managing company logistics for rehearsals, performances, and tours for a dance or movement-based ensemble.
Budget creation & financial management — ability to construct operating and tour budgets, monitor cash flow, produce financial reports, and implement cost controls.
Contract negotiation & administration — experience drafting and negotiating artist, presenter, vendor and freelance agreements; familiarity with union/collective bargaining terms where applicable.
Touring logistics & advance work — proficiency arranging international and domestic travel, visas, shipping, local logistics, and creating tour advances for presenters.
Payroll & HR systems — familiarity with payroll processing, contractor classification, timesheet systems, benefits administration and HR record-keeping.
Grant writing & reporting — proven ability to prepare funder proposals, budgets, and compliance reports for foundations, government bodies and arts councils.
Production & technical knowledge — working knowledge of stage management, technical riders, load-in procedures, and basic lighting/sound/stage terminology.
Risk management & health & safety — experience implementing injury prevention protocols, emergency procedures, insurance claims and workplace safety policies for performance environments.
CRM & ticketing platforms — practical experience with customer relationship management tools, ticketing systems, and audience data platforms (e.g., Tessitura, Brown Paper Tickets, Spektrix).
Microsoft Office & project management tools — advanced Excel for budgeting, Word for contracts and reporting, and familiarity with tools like Google Workspace, Asana, Trello or Slack.
Licensing & copyright knowledge — basic understanding of music licensing, choreography rights, and permissions needed for recordings and broadcasts.
Vendor & procurement management — ability to source, evaluate and manage suppliers for travel, production, costume and technical services.

Soft Skills

Exceptional communication — clear, professional verbal and written skills for negotiating contracts, briefing artists, and reporting to executive leadership and the Board.
Strong organizational ability — meticulous planning skills with capability to manage complex calendars, multiple projects and shifting priorities.
Problem-solving and crisis management — calm, creative decision-making under pressure during on-site performance or travel disruptions.
Interpersonal and diplomatic skills — ability to build trust with artists, staff, presenters and donors while mediating conflicts sensitively.
Leadership and team-building — experience supervising cross-functional teams, mentoring staff and fostering collaborative working environments.
Cultural sensitivity and adaptability — aptitude for working with diverse artists, international partners and varied community contexts.
Attention to detail — precise contract administration, compliance tracking, and financial reconciliation.
Time management and prioritization — capacity to manage high workloads and deliverables against tight rehearsal and performance timelines.
Sales and negotiation mindset — persuasive skills for fee negotiation, sponsorship conversations and ticketing strategies.
Creative collaborator — ability to support artistic processes without overshadowing creative autonomy, aligning operational realities with artistic goals.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Performing Arts Management, Business Administration, or related field — or equivalent professional experience in performing arts operations.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Arts Management, MBA with arts focus, or specialized training in cultural management, production or nonprofit leadership.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Arts Administration
Performing Arts Management
Business Administration
Arts & Cultural Policy
Event/Production Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of professional experience in dance company management, production coordination, touring logistics or similar performing arts administration roles.

Preferred: 5+ years managing a professional dance or contemporary performance company, with documented experience in budgeting, touring, contract negotiation, grant reporting and artist relations; experience working with international tours, unions or large-scale production teams is highly desirable.