Learn, Teach, Choreograph & Perform with AIT
Want to kick-start your contemporary skating career? Or, interested in learning more about figure skating choreography? The AIT Mentorship Program provides skating choreographer(s) with the chance to build your choreography skills, teaching vocabulary, and skating network. The Ricky Harris Scholarship Award also offers skating choreographers scholarship money toward the AIT Mentorship Program. Read below to discover more about our 5-month, one-on-one, specialized Mentorship Program for young skating artists who are looking to pursue a career in skating choreography.
Grow your knowledge, connect with a community of like-minded artists, and launch your contemporary skating career through opportunities to:
- learn,
- teach,
- choreograph, and
- perform.
Ricky Harris Scholarship Award
Are you interested in learning more about how to be a leader in contemporary skating in your area? AIT offers an annual scholarship for opportunities to artists and entrepreneurs of contemporary skating. The Ricky Harris Scholarship Award is given to a recipient annually who wishes to pursue leadership in contemporary skating in their area. Consider applying for this $500 award, and continuing Ricky Harris legacy’s of being a leader in choreography.
AIT Mentorship 5-Month Program
Purpose
The purpose of the American Ice Theatre Mentorship Program is to provide growth opportunities and education for aspiring figure skating choreographers. This program will foster growth and learning and specifically be designed to hone young artists’ skills in 5 significant areas: teaching, research, choreography, improvisation, and leadership development.
Guidelines
Mentors and Mentees agree to embark on a 5-month partnership focused on these sections:
- history & research of artistic/contemporary skating
- improvisation techniques
- choreography tools
- teaching best practices
- mindfulness, leadership & self-development exercises
For each section, the Mentee agrees to meet with the Mentors via Zoom once a month. This will be a time to go over in-depth the material, questions, comments and furthering knowledge and information. Both the Mentor and Mentee agree to one another regarding progress of guidelines, maintain confidentiality and openly exchange feedback with the mentoring relationship.
Throughout the 5 months, the Mentee will submit videos of their work with students or on themselves, any teaching opportunities that arise, and any research they are doing. We will offer feedback based on the techniques & tools we are learning each month. We will also offer the Mentee a paid opportunity to teach one of our Monthly Instagram Live classes!
In addition, we want the Mentee to engage in the aspect of contemporary skating that interests them the most, and we will work to mold the Program around their specific area of interest (i.e. IJS choreo, activism in skating, entrepreneurship, coaching, theatre on ice, etc).
Cost
This program costs $800 for mentees; payment plans are available if needed. If you’re interested in participating in our Mentorship Program, please email Garrett Kling & Kate McSwain at info@amerianicetheatre.org and we will get you started on a schedule right away.
Additional Mentorship Opportunities
Examples of learning opportunities include:
- being a camp counselor and participating in the 3-class coaches’ track at CORE Camp;
- sitting in on a Master Choreography Techniques class meeting via videoconference call;
- observing the AIT Directors Annual Meeting; and/or
- observing a Theatre on Ice practice or AIT performance company rehearsal.
Examples of teaching opportunities include:
- presenting a session at the American Contemporary Skating Festival;
- presenting at a local AIT satellite location seminar; and/or
- serving as guest coach for one class at CORE Camp.
Examples of choreography opportunities include:
- choreographing a solo or ensemble piece for the American Contemporary Skating Festival showcase; and/or
- doing choreography for an AIT satellite location Junior company.
Examples of performance opportunities include:
- performing in AIT’s annual U.S. Open piece; and/or
- performing in a solo or ensemble piece at the American Contemporary Skating Festival showcase.
If you want to learn, teach, and have a platform to perform or choreograph, please contact us and let us know. We would be happy to get the conversation started!
