New York City Dance Alliance (NYCDA) is seeking skilled, experienced, high-energy Audio, Video, and Lighting Technicians, as well as Carpenters, Technical Directors and General Technicians for our touring dance convention.

WHO WE ARE
NYCDA has been a leader in the dance convention world for over 30 years - offering education, resources, and special opportunities to help young dancers grow in their craft and pursue dance as a lifelong venture. NYCDA also has a not-for-profit component, the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, which awards college scholarships to dancers and produces two fundraising events a year – Destiny Rising, a dance concert at the Joyce Theater, as well as the annual Chita Rivera Awards. We currently run two concurrent annual regional tours and are looking forward to hosting 34 events around the country in 2026-2027, culminating in two National Finales during summer 2027.

WHO YOU ARE
You are a driven, solutions-oriented technician with strengths in troubleshooting and working on the fly. You have a specialty in at least one department, but you’re willing to learn or are already knowledgeable in others. You are used to the rigors of travelling multiple times a week/month/year. You’re used to high-pressure, time-sensitive live production environments, and you enjoy collaborating between departments to bring an event to life. You may have a specialty, but you aren’t above helping out another department as scheduled . You are a team player - not only within the production department, but across the entire company. At NYCDA, safety is a priority, and every technician shares responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment. You love what you do, and you love creating magic for clients!
We are looking for technicians who are willing to travel most (NOT ALL) of our tour dates from October 2026 to May 2027. We also will ask technicians for part-time availability from August til October to assist in our warehouse, building systems and prepping for the fall leg of our tour.

OPEN POSITIONS:

Audio Technician

If audio is your passion, you’re an RF whiz, and you’re ready to bring great sounding systems to life on both a large and small scale, you’re a great fit for our Audio Technician position! Our audio techs are also responsible for monitoring our livestream and triggering playback of ‘commercials’ during competition breaks.

Main Responsibilities:

• Setup of Front of House and Audio rack

• PA and Stage Monitor deployment

• System Tuning

• RF Coordination (on competition stage and in breakout rooms)

• QLab Operation

• Maintaining consistent levels throughout competition pieces

• Stage Monitor Mix

• Backstage Monitor Mix

• Livestream Audio Mix

• Requirements:

  • See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

  • Proficiency with

    • Midas M32

    • QLab

    • Sennheiser Wireless (EW-DX, EW300, WSM)

    • Basic Networking

    • SMAART experience a plus!

Lighting Technician

If you know lighting consoles like the back of your hand, have a knack for fixture maintenance, and love a chance to make visual magic on-the-fly, we want you to be our Lighting Technician! During competition sessions, our lighting techs may also be asked to take over Resolume operation via the lighting console or Companion for chunks of time.

Main Responsibilities:

• Setting up console and lighting rack

• Leading the hanging, cabling, and testing full lighting rig

• Maintain Lighting Designers vision consistently across tour stops

• Live busking long blocks of competition entries

• Directing and dialing in auxiliary lobby & breakout room lighting

• Maintaining and troubleshooting a variety of fixtures on the road

• Adjusting color tones for Camera/Video purposes

Requirements:

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

• Strong electrical safety knowledge

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

• Proficiency with

  • Hog 4 and/or GrandMA3

  • ArtNET

  • Epix Pixel Bars & Pixel Mapping

  • Companion

  • Basic Networking

  • Experience interfacing with video software a plus!

Video Technician

If you are a signal flow pro with a discerning eye for on-the-fly video content and a flexible team player, we want you as our Video Technician! Our video tech has to have hands in a few different video systems, between IMAG walls, graphics wall, and multiple camera destinations, but during competition hours will be selecting appropriate visuals to match dance styles for each entry.

Main Responsibilities:

• Setting up Resolume rig and video processing rack

• Leading SDI & Fiber cable runs

• Leading video wall hang & patch

• Troubleshooting video signals throughout the rig (Camera/VFX/IMAG)

• Interfacing with our Photo/Video partner, Evolve, to connect their camera gear into our systems

• Live VJing long blocks of competition in line with our Director’s vision

Requirements:

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

• Proficiency with

  • Novastar Processors

  • Resolume

  • Companion & Streamdeck

  • Blackmagic Devices & Software (ATEM Switchers, DeckLink cards, Bi-Dis and MicroConverters)

  • Wireless video transmission

  • Mapping multiple screens & video outputs

  • Basic Networking

  • Experience interfacing with lighting consoles a plus!

Carpenter

If you’re great at working with your hands, have an eye for detail, and hold safety in the highest regard, you’re a great candidate for our Carpenter position! Carpenters are responsible for the main deck & truss builds, along with the general technicians. The carpenter will be the ‘last look’ on things like truss structures, aligning centers of deck/truss/numberlines, drapes, and lobby and breakout setups. During competition hours, carpenters are usually floating to help with auxiliary tasks, but also might be asked to step into a tech operator role for a periods of time.

Main Responsibilities:

• Ensuring accurate recreation of the stage plot consistently across tour stops

• Leading deck & truss builds

• Leading drape hangs

• Leading lobby buildout

• Leading breakout room setups

• Assisting communication between Technical Director/Production Manager and attending studios about their props or set pieces.

• Ensure safe operation of Genie lifts & forklifts, as needed

Requirements:

• OSHA 30 Certification

• Strong rigging knowledge

• Ability to regularly lift 75lbs

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

Technical Director / Crew Lead

If you’re a born leader, have a strong grasp on all areas of production, and are great at delegating and overseeing, you are a great candidate for our Technical Director position! Our Tech Director functions as our crew lead during load-ins and load-outs, helping establish a connection with the local crew and their lead and delegating the NYCDA crew to tasks as needed. When the Production Manager is not travelling, the technical director may be asked to help with tasks like crew meals (load in/out only), and general team oversight throughout the weekend. During competition hours, you also might be asked to step into a tech operator role for periods of time.

Main Responsibilities:

• Leading a ‘beginning of day’ meeting during load-ins and load-outs when Production Manager isn’t present

• Call breaks for NYCDA and local crews as per union rules when Production Manager isn’t present

• Leading truck dump and pack, maintaining consistency with the planned truck pack and documenting any changes week to week.

• Overseeing and delegating the build in all rooms, jumping in wherever needed

• Assist in any major troubleshooting

• Ensure safe operation of Genie lifts, forklifts, scissor lifts, any any other machinery.

• Conducting a full space walkthrough at the end of Load-In to ensure standards are met in each space before dismissing the crews

Requirements:

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

• OSHA 30 Certification

• Strong rigging knowledge

• Strength in leading local crews

General Technician

If you love event production but don’t feel like an ‘expert tech’, if you have base knowledge of audio/lighting/video systems, or feel like you have lots of knowledge but no specialty - you might be a great General Technician! Our ‘GenTechs’ are our everyman - helping fill out all parts of our load & build, with room to learn and grow with our other technicians. General technicians will be asked to operate audio, lighting, or video during competition, so technicians with a strength are highly encouraged!

Main Responsibilities:

• Leading & assisting deck & truss builds

• Laying & patching cable looms

• Leading & assisting drape hangs

• Leading & assisting lobby buildout

• Leading breakout room setups (pipe & drape, basic audio & lighting)

• Maintaining clean, professional, presentable setups, with attention to detail and care for client experience

• Operating audio, lighting, or video equipment during competition

Requirements:

• See ‘Qualifications & Skills - All positions’ below!

FOR ALL POSITIONS

Qualifications & Skills - All positions

• Minimum 2–4 years of experience in live event production or previous touring experience.

• Ability to read signal flow diagrams, light plots, and stage plots.

• Ability to cleanly and correctly coil a cable

• Ability to lift 50+ lbs, climb ladders, and work long hours on your feet.

• Ability to direct and work alongside local stagehand crews

• Strong troubleshooting skills

• OSHA training preferred - can be provided for strong candidates

• Strong teamwork - each of our events relies on strong communication and departments supporting one another

• A "tour-ready" attitude—flexible, punctual, and able to live and work in close quarters with a diverse crew.

Key Responsibilities - All positions

• Assemble, test, and operate all technical equipment for each event.

• Manage load-ins and load-outs with local crews; ensure equipment is packed according to the planned truck pack

• Perform routine field repairs on cables, fixtures, and audio gear to ensure 100% uptime on every tour stop.

• Adhere to strict industry standard safety protocols at all times.

Travel Details: ‘Weekend Warrior’ style touring - flying into each city then back home every week (usually Wednesday/Thursday thru Monday). Coach airfare, double occupancy hotel, per diem or meals provided in alignment with the company’s travel & expense policies.

Compensation: $1,000 - $1,600 per event based on experience.

Application Process: Email cover letter, resume, and other relevant materials (portfolios, websites, LinkedIn or social media) to [email protected]. Please place your first and last name and your area of specialty (ie Lighting, Carpenter, etc) in the subject line of your email. No phone calls please.