Samantha Hope
Galler
Principal Dancer
Miami City Ballet
Performer Mentor Educator
Ballet Background
Hello and thank you for visiting my portfolio.
I am a native of Bedford, Massachusetts and began my ballet training at age 5 at The Ballet Academy, Inc, under Frances Kotelly. Here, I extensively studied the Cecchetti Method and the important techniques of partnering in the field. From 2004-2008, my studies continued year-round with the Boston Ballet School where I was awarded the PAO Merit Scholarship in my Trainee year. Here I continued to study the Cecchetti method while also training in the Vaganova, Bournonville, French methods. This melting pot of training was key.
My summers were spent with the Boston Ballet school, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, under Marcia Dale Weary, the Northeast School of Ballet, the Boston Conservatory, and training with Nancy Bielski in New York City. My 2008 season was spent with Cincinnati Ballet as an Anthony Albano and K. Ann Choe–Albano Fellow under direction of Victoria Morgan. I then went on to join Alabama Ballet, 2009-2014, where I rose to the rank of principal dancer. Under direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren, I was privileged to perform most corps de ballet, soloist and principal roles in the Alabama Ballet repertoire.
In 2014, I joined the Miami City Ballet, under direction of Lourdes Lopez, as a corps de ballet member. In February 2018, I had the great honor of being promoted, onstage, to Soloist following my performance in Jerome Robbins 'In the Night.' In January 2022, during a Swan Lake rehearsal, I was promoted to the rank of principal soloist and in October 2023, I was promoted to Principal dancer with Miami City Ballet following my performance as the Russian Girl in George Balanchine's Serenade.
Since joining MCB, I have performed corps de ballet, soloist, and principal roles in a wide range of George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Alexei Ratmansky, Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, Justin Peck, Brian Brooks, Durante Verzola, and Amy Hall Garner ballets. I had the great honor of performing twice as the Swan Queen in Alexei Ratmansky's Swan Lake, first for its North American premiere in 2022 and, most recently, in May 2024.
I strive to cultivate growth by aiming for progression not perfection. In 2018, I founded the Miami City Ballet School Mentorship Program. This program is offered to the highest division of the school and provides students guidance as they pursue a career in dance.
During my time off, I am a guest summer faculty member at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Throughout the past 15 years, I have guest taught across the United States at prominent dance schools including, the Boston Ballet School, Ballet Rhode Island, the Chicago High School for the Arts, Miami City Ballet School, Northeast School of Ballet, International Dance Academy, and throughout South Florida.
BOOKINGS & INQUIRIES
Email: sgaller123@gmail.com
IG: @lifeisadebut
Please contact me for guest performances or in person master classes and private ballet lessons online