"Samantha said she wanted to “bridge the gap” and I think these were the conversations that truly helped to do that."

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Elena Victoria

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

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​​"We are trained from the time we are 3 or 4 years old that there is no talking, but the Series gave us an opportunity to break down those barriers and find out that you are not alone in your struggles.  Everyone is going through variations of the same problems, and having these discussions to relate to one another definitely strengthened our comradely and understanding of the professional world.  I feel stronger, more prepared, and more open because of these Series."

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​Emma Garrison 

University of Cambridge

Previously Ballett Dortmund NRW Juniorballett

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

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"Sam held helped me greatly during my time in the school. From Q and A’s to story times I found it very informing about company life. One main thing Sam helped me through was balancing my online school, and MCBS school classes. I was feeling extremely stressed getting my work done and she helped me create a schedule to balance both. I’m very thankful for the time Sam took out of her busy day to help us out!"

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Taylor Naturkas 

Principal Soloist Miami City Ballet

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

"Samantha’s Mentorship Program with Miami City Ballet School helped me a lot going into audition season. At the time, I was coming off of my first year auditioning for companies and going into my second.  I was also on the older side of my class, which made me worry about finding a job.  Her series made me realize that I had the wrong idea going into my first audition season. I was coming from a large school where they pushed us to aim super high and audition mainly for the larger companies, which is great, but in hindsight not super realistic fresh out of a school.  Sam’s story and advice pushed me to audition for more companies, big and small, and made me realize that the place you initially end up doesn’t have to be your final professional destination. Her seminar gave me confidence going into audition season that I would find my place even if it took some time to get there."

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Mary-Kate Edwards 

Corps de ballet Miami City Ballet

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

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"My name is Juliet Hay and I am 19 years old. I am currently a corps de ballet dancer with the Miami City Ballet. The Mentorship experience I had while at MCBS helped me tackle the mental aspect on top of the physicality of ballet. Our sessions helped me feel prepared for audition season and excited to start life as a professional dancer. In moments of self doubt or insecurity, I would always remind myself of the tips we learned in our sessions. Audition season is probably one of the most stressful times in a dancer’s life, yet with Samantha’s mentorship, I was able to enjoy the experience. The mentorship series as a whole, pushed me to feel secure with myself and wherever my audition journey would take me!"

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Juliet Hay

Corps de ballet Miami City Ballet

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

"Sam’s mentorship has had such a positive impact on my life through the unwavering support, guidance, and encouragement that she offers. Her guidance has helped me navigate the beginning stages of my career—-and to ultimately feel more empowered and able to explore my own artistry. Sam’s guidance—coupled with her extensive experience, genuine care, and personalized, one-on-one approach make her the perfect mentor for aspiring ballerinas—both students and young professionals."

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Annie Grace Wilson

Sarasota Ballet 

Formerly Finnish National Ballet

 

 

"The Mentorship Program helped me find the balance that dancers are required to have to survive in the professional ballet world.​"

 

Miami has been a home for me for 5 years. Originally from Mexico City, I moved here at the age of 14 when I was given a life changing opportunity to continue my studies at the Miami City Ballet School.  Not until I was much older, did I realize how big of a positive impact the school had made on me, specifically the Mentorship Program.  It has helped me find the balance that dancers are required to have to survive in the professional ballet world.
I had my first mentorship with current Miami City Ballet’s principal soloist Samantha Hope Galler, at the age of 15. At first, I couldn’t really relate as much to the program because I was young and everything was more focused into the mental health and physical struggles that dancers are afraid to talk about. As I grew up, I started relating a lot more with the program and I realized how lucky I was to have somebody telling me their story, sharing all their knowledge so I could have a stronger mindset for everything that was coming in the professional area.
Every dancer has a different perspective to the professional ballet world, I’m really grateful and thankful to Ms. Galler for giving me the confidence to talk about the unspoken things from our art form.  I couldn’t feel more ready to start my professional career. Along with being able to respect myself as a dancer and expand my perspective on ballet, Samantha helped me, tremendously, to learn to navigate the audition world when it was my time to find a professional job. Throughout my training with MCBS, my knowledge would not have been complete without the hard truths and important resources Ms. Galler offered me."

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Eric Rojas - New Jersey Ballet

​MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

"Samantha's Mentorship Program has been such an incredible experience.  She gave us guidance throughout the entire year, which has been invaluable to our dance careers, and something we use on a daily basis."

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Anthony Hoyos

Carolina Ballet

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

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"I really enjoyed the mentorship series with Samantha and all the wonderful guests she included. It gave us a chance to hear from dancers we all admired, ask them questions, and see that even professionals could have some of the same struggles we did. It was great to connect with corps, soloist, and principal dancers and hear how different paths can still lead to a great career. Getting advice from dancers on things like college and auditioning, which can be so stressful for pre-professionals, was a great resource. I really appreciate the commitment and caring that Samantha put into working with the pre-pros and helping us achieve our goals."

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Cate Jesser

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

 

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"My experience with the mentorship program was very eye opening and helpful. Samantha is extraordinary at articulating the steps a young dancer needs to take to keep a healthy mindset and help prepare them for a professional career in dance. While the class deals with a couple specific topics what I found most helpful was that Samantha took time to address topics that weren’t necessarily on her agenda for the day but maybe a student felt they needed more guidance on. That kind of care and nurturing is not in all classes but it definitely radiates in Samantha’s. The mentorship series is a compassionate and understanding space for young dancers to grow and learn from someone who understands exactly what they are going through and I feel so lucky that I got to be a part of it."

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Cameron Catazaro

Principal Soloist Miami City Ballet 

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

"As a student, Samantha’s mentorship series provided me with the confidence and maturity to properly prepare for a professional company. Her guidance gave the tools to prepare my audition materials with ease."

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Itzkan Barbosa

BalletX 

Former Corps de ballet with Miami City Ballet

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni

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"Samantha started the mentorship series program for the pre-professionals at Miami City Ballet School in 2018, the first year I attended.  I was so thankful that she wanted to share her knowledge and experiences with us about multiple topics regarding the professional ballet world.  I had no idea how much I was walking into when choosing this as my career, so having this guidance right off the bat was a real gift. She covered how to prepare for and go about company auditions, how to present yourself and communicate professionally in the field, and gave us other important tools that we otherwise would have lacked. For me, the fact that the conversation was not just one-sided and that she wanted to hear from us in real time was what made the program so worthwhile and genuine. Oftentimes, topics we would share about what our student careers involved were topics that she related to as a professional which was comforting. Samantha said she wanted to “bridge the gap” and I think these were the conversations that truly helped to do that. I used every bit of the information she gave us when I auditioned for the first time and I continue to keep it all in mind as I climb the professional ladder in this industry."

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Elena Victoria

Kansas City Ballet

Previously Orlando Ballet 

MCBS Mentorship Program Alumni