Middle Eastern Belly Dance and Dabke Instructor

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks an experienced Middle Eastern Belly Dance (Raqs Sharqi) and Dabke instructor to teach adult and teen classes that celebrate the rich traditions and contemporary expressions of these forms. The ideal candidate is a dynamic teacher-performer who can build community, teach with cultural respect, and support students at all levels—from absolute beginner to advanced—through musicality, technique, and choreography.

Schedule:

Weeknights and/or weekends required

Sub and short-course opportunities may be available

Location:

Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park

Duties:

Create a welcoming, inclusive classroom environment for diverse learners.

Teach foundational belly dance technique (posture, isolations, traveling steps), musicality, and choreography across levels.

Teach Dabke repertoire and technique (basic step, variations, line formation/lead transitions, stamina, and rhythm), including social context and etiquette.

Incorporate cultural and historical context, including rhythms, styles, and costuming etiquette, with respect and accuracy.

Develop lesson plans aligned with program goals; adapt methods to different learning styles and abilities.

Prepare students for informal sharings and/or end-of-session performances as appropriate (solo and group/line formats).

Handle basic administrative tasks and maintain timely interdepartmental communication.

Qualifications:

Minimum six years of teaching Middle Eastern/Belly Dance (Raqs Sharqi) and Dabke preferred.

Demonstrated knowledge of Middle Eastern music and rhythms (e.g., Maqsum, Saidi, Baladi for belly dance; Dabke rhythms such as Dal'ouna, Zareef, and traditional Levantine variants); experience teaching to live or recorded music.

Performance experience preferred; ability to break down movement clearly and scaffold progression for both solo and group/line dances.

Commitment to culturally responsive, respectful instruction and community-building.

Bachelor's degree in Dance, Dance Education, Performance, or related field preferred.

Creative, reliable, and positive classroom presence; strong communication skills.

Availability to teach on weekends is required.

Bilingual skills are a plus.

Instructor Hourly Pay Rate: $37/hour

To Apply: To be considered for this role, please apply through our Career Center. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview and to teach a short demo lesson highlighting belly dance and Dabke technique, musicality, and cultural context.

Summary: The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks a substitute teacher for its acclaimed early childhood music program, Wiggleworms® at its Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park locations. Classes are for children newborn to five years old accompanied by an adult and are taught by a teacher who sings and plays guitar and/or ukulele.

Schedule: Availability on weekends required

Location: Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park

Duties:

Work with children, parents, and caregivers to create a positive classroom environment.

Adapt teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and abilities.

Creating lesson plans guided by our curriculum and training.

Handle administrative tasks and maintain interdepartmental communications as needed.

Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Music Education or Performance preferred

Minimum two years of teaching experience preferred

High level of musicianship and personal responsibility

Must be creative, passionate about music, and be able to enthusiastically lead grownups with their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in musical learning.

Experience working with infants, babies, and toddlers is preferred.

Bilingual in Spanish helpful

Availability to teach on weekends is required

Instructor Hourly Pay Rate: $37/hour

To be considered for this role, please apply through our Career Center. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview and to demonstrate their guitar skills.

Bartender & Special Events Associate (PT)

Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking an experienced and reliable Bartender & Special Events Associate for its operations in Lincoln Square during evening concerts and special events.

Job Summary
The Bartender & Special Events Associate provides an excellent guest experience. They prepare for and serve beer, wine and cocktails at concerts, as well as, support special events with satellite bars and other hospitality as needed. The Bartender & Special Events Associate will maintain stock, perform sales on Square POS, upsell products, make quality drinks, and keep a clean work area throughout their shift. Shifts typically include weekday evenings and weekends.

Key Duties:

Provides a pleasant experience with exemplary customer service

Serves drinks, concessions, coffee, and occasional food while maintaining a neat, clean and sanitary service area.

Follows recipes to create beverages as needed with opportunity to contribute to the rotating menu

Ensures smooth set up and operation of bar services before, during and after shifts

Keeps the bar stocked with beer, wine, liquor, cups, napkins and all other necessary items before and during service hours

Prepares garnishes, refills ice wells, and restocks beverage coolers in front of and behind the bar.

Advises manager of ordering needs

Ensures proper cleaning according to daily and weekly schedules, including dishwashing and removing garbage as needed

Performs transactions using POS system and handles cash, completing end-of-shift report and communicating any discrepancies to manager

Diplomatically resolves issues where needed keeping the mission and brand image of the Old Town School at top of mind

Adheres to proper alcohol handling, sanitation, and safety procedures

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:
Required

One year of related bartending experience in a fast-paced environment required

B.A.S.S.E.T. (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education Training) certification required

Must be able to communicate effectively in verbal and written form, be self-motivated, and able to multitask

Must be at least 21 years old.

Comfortable using a computer and navigating the Google suite

Must be able to work evenings and weekends

Preferred

Illinois Health and food safety certification preferred

Familiarity with Square POS platform is a plus

Bilingual Spanish ability is helpful

Physical Requirements
This work requires the following physical activities: reaching, bending, stooping, lifting up to 50 lbs., standing, walking, finger dexterity, grasping, feeling, repetitive motions, talking, hearing, and visual acuity. The work is performed primarily indoors in a bar/cafe environment.

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

Hourly pay: $16.50

To be considered for this roll, please apply through our Career Center.