creative performancechoreographydancemovement vocabularyrehearsal direction
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Body of work
35% weight
Ask for specific credits: works staged, companies or productions, cast sizes, venues, restagings. Check whether they created original repertoire or set existing pieces, and request video links.
Evidence to listen for
Has work that exists publicly and can be checked
States what they made versus what they contributed to
Can talk about range as well as their signature style
Knows how the work was received and by whom
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Nothing finished or public; describes intentions rather than output.
2
Needs Improvement
Small or unverifiable body of work; unclear personal contribution.
3
Satisfactory
Real output with adequate range; reception described vaguely.
4
Very Good
Substantial verifiable work with clear ownership and range.
5
Excellent
Names dated pieces with company, cast size and venue, and shows footage of their own original choreography, not class combinations.
02
Evaluation factor
Craft and technique
25% weight
Probe movement vocabulary and training: ballet, contemporary, hip hop, jazz, tap, partnering, floorwork. Test how they build phrases, use counts, spatial patterning, and work with music or a composer.
Evidence to listen for
Can discuss technique concretely rather than in terms of feel or vibe
Names influences and what they took from each
Explains a deliberate choice and the effect it was for
Knows their own weak areas and what they do about them
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No technical vocabulary; cannot discuss choices behind the work.
2
Needs Improvement
Talks in generalities; choices sound accidental.
3
Satisfactory
Solid craft with some ability to explain decisions.
4
Very Good
Articulate about technique and deliberate about effect.
5
Excellent
Explains phrase construction, counts and formations in concrete terms, and links technique choices to the score and the dancers' actual capabilities.
03
Evaluation factor
Reliability and process
25% weight
Examine rehearsal management: call sheets, rehearsal schedules, notation or video archiving, working to a production calendar with lighting, costume and tech week deadlines.
Evidence to listen for
Meets deadlines and briefs, with evidence
Handles revisions and direction without ego
Describes how they work when the brief is vague or changes late
Has repeat clients, bookings, or collaborators
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Misses commitments; cannot take direction.
2
Needs Improvement
Inconsistent delivery; defensive about revisions.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable on clear briefs; struggles when direction shifts.
4
Very Good
Consistently delivers and adapts; repeat collaborators.
5
Excellent
Runs documented rehearsal plans, delivers finished work before tech, and keeps clean video or notation records so pieces can be revived accurately.
04
Evaluation factor
Presence with an audience
15% weight
Look for how they command a studio and read a house: giving corrections to mixed ability casts, adjusting for audience sightlines, handling notes from a director or artistic director.
Evidence to listen for
Comfortable performing or presenting on demand, including cold
Reads a room and adjusts
Handles a bad night, a difficult client, or a hostile crowd without unravelling
Represents the employer well in front of others
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot perform or present on request; unravels under pressure.
2
Needs Improvement
Rigid delivery; no read of the room.
3
Satisfactory
Competent in familiar settings; less adaptable in new ones.
4
Very Good
Strong presence and adapts to the room.
5
Excellent
Gives clear, actionable corrections that dancers can apply immediately, and adapts staging for sightlines without losing the choreographic intent.
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