4dancers – Page 4

Hip-hop Health Moves in the UK

October 2, 2019 by 4dancers

I am pleased to bring you a 2nd article by Nefeli Tsiouti, MA, MSc, one of the young leaders in the dance medicine world, who has been bringing attention to the injuries of dancers in the Breakin’ world. Her first article discussed how she started working in this field, and formed Project Breakalign. In this one, she talks about the annual Breakin’ Convention held in London each year, and how she has been integrating her work into the conference. Please pass it on! – Jan Dunn, Dance Wellness Editor

by Nefeli Tsiouti, MA, MSc

In 2013, I decided to bring together a group of dance medicine and science specialists, sports coaches, doctors, physical therapists—people that are involved with health and Breaking, to decide how to save the world of Breakers from injuries. That was the beginning of the creation of the Project Breakalign team. We then started working in association with One Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme, at the time managed by Erin Sanchez, another dance scientist who had also joined our new-born team.

In 2014, we embarked on an annual journey with the Breakin’ Convention International Festival of hip-hop theatre, which takes place every May at Sadler’s Wells in London, UK. Together with Breakin’ Convention, One Dance UK (ODU), and the Project Breakalign team, we began providing—for the first time in such an established international hip-hop festival—workshops from specialists that can speak the hip-hop language. That is a very important trait to have when dealing with a group of people from such diverse cultural and movement backgrounds—a very interesting place to be as an educator–but also as a therapist!

Erin Sanchez, Nefeli Tsiouti, Karolin Krell, and Claire Farmer

From 2014-2019, we provided a Project Breakalign workshop in association with ODU, which usually consisted of conditioning strategies for Breakers and hip-hop dancers in general. I was teaching the workshop alongside one more team members each year, including: Mark Archer (Physical Therapist), Marius Mates (Bboy Marius from Romania), Johannes Hattunen (Bboy Hatsolo from Finland), and in 2017, 2018 and 2019, I took the lead by myself. What was special in these last three years was a new initiative of Project Breakalign and One Dance UK to bring education and treatments at the festival, for the performers of this big international dance gathering. This would not have been possible without the support of Erin Sanchez and Sarah Needham-Beck, at One Dance UK / The Healthier Dancer Programme.

So, on the days of the festival, myself as a sports massage therapist, alongside a physical therapist or osteopath, shared two rooms for treatments for the performers of Breakin’ Convention. The dancers had the opportunity to book free 30-minute slots for physical therapy or sports massage, and not only to receive treatment, but to also receive advice about their injuries and injury management. Most of the performers had also flown in or used trains to arrive in London, therefore their bodies definitely needed the hands of a specialist, to ensure their dance wellness – as well as their best performance for the evening shows of the festival.

What is amazing about Breakin’ Convention is that in a little area in the heart of London, all these spectacles, activities, social gatherings, educational workshops, and now also health treatments take place, and they are all tailored not only for the performers, but also for the supporters and fans of the hip-hop artforms. Jonzi D, director of Breakin’ Convention and his team, have been caring for the health of performers since the initial proposal we offered them for collaboration, and they have allowed the hip-hop dancers the opportunity to welcome awareness for prevention of injuries, in the heart of such an established and prestigious Festival.

And the journey continues…see you at Breakin’ Convention London 2020!

Learn more:

Visit Project Breakalign

Visit One Dance UK

Bio: Nefeli was born in Australia. She started dance in 1995 at Motion Art Studio and danced professionally in Greece & UK (2006-16). She studied: BA French Literature (University of Athens), MA Choreography (Middlesex University), MSc Dance Science (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance), Sports Massage Therapy Diploma (Sports Therapy UK) and is a BSc Physiotherapy student at European University Cyprus. Currently she is Associate Researcher at the Cyprus Musculoskeletal & Sports Trauma Research Centre & CEO of Breakalign Ltd, a prevention of injuries project for dancers. Moreover, she is a dancer & Choreographer, Member of the International Federation of Holistic therapists, from which she received the award Sports Therapist of the Year 2018. She won 1st Prize and Most Innovative idea Prize at the EUC-Peak entrepreneurship competition for start-ups in 2018. Her dance training has spread from ballet to hip-hop/Breaking. She has taught in dance schools and Universities since 2006 in Greece, UK, Cyprus and provided guest lectures across Europe, USA, Canada & Hong-Kong. Nefeli has a mission of preventing injuries for dancers and has been awarded many scholarships to support this vision. She is the organiser of the Dance Science Symposium in Cyprus since 2018.

Book Excerpt: Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger

September 17, 2019 by 4dancers

Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger book cover

I’m very pleased to be able to let you know about a new dance medicine book just published by Princeton Books, Princeton, NJ. This is a 2nd edition of one of the classics of dancer medicine literature — “Dancing Longer, Dancing Stronger“, originally written by Priscilla Clarkson and Andrea Watkins, published by Princeton Books in 1990. This new, updated version has been written by two IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science) colleagues of mine, Robin Kish, MFA, who has written previous articles for 4dancers.org, and Jennie Morten, BS, MS. This resource is again published by Princeton Books, in Princeton, NJ.

Robin has a strong background in physiology and biomechanics, and is currently Associate Professor of Dance at Chapman University in CA, where she teaches Dance Kinesiology, Injury Prevention, Movement Anatomy, and Exercise Physiology and Conditioning. Jennie is a classically trained ballet dancer, with degrees in Osteopathy and Psychology, and is lecturer at the University College, London – Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, and also wellness professor at the Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA.

The original DLDS was one of the early (and comprehensive) books about conditioning / avoiding injury written for dancers, and was an invaluable aid for dancers and teachers over many years. Robin and Jennie have done an excellent job in updating the information and adding new segments to the book. It is full of specific conditioning exercises, and is something dancers should carry in their dance bag or have on their devices, for quick reference. This is a must have for every dancer / teacher – I encourage you to bring it into your dance library.

Below is a brief segment from the new book, on the importance of cardiovascular fitness for dancers — an important ingredient in lowering one’s injury rate, and something we often forget. Enjoy, and Pass It On!

– Jan Dunn, Dance Wellness Editor

Research has shown that although dancers perform slightly better than non- dancers in terms of their cardiovascular fitness, they lag significantly behind other athletes (Rodrigues-Krause, Krause, and Reischak-Oliveira 2015). Dance classes typically have a stop/start nature involving short exercises with rests in between. This primarily works the body anaerobically and trains it for short bursts of activity—the equivalent of being a short-distance sprinter. However, the choreographic demands of performance often require dancers to sustain activity for 15 to 20 minutes, or perhaps even longer. This requires aerobic fitness—the equivalent of being an endurance athlete. If this is not being trained during a dance class, then it is essential to have a supplemental training routine that pro- vides aerobic training. Fatigue is a significant risk factor for injury. Therefore, having a cardiovascular system that can meet both the aerobic and anaerobic requirements of a dance career means that you will have improved endurance, will not tire as easily, and will have a reduced risk of injury. Cardiovascular fitness also plays an important role in injury recovery—the fitter you are, the quicker you will heal.

To improve your aerobic fitness capacity, it is recommended that you undertake exercise that elevates your heart rate to 70–90 percent (depending on your fitness levels) of its maximal capacity for 20–30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week (Wyon 2005). To calculate your maximal heart rate (MHR), you use the simple equation of 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age. Then calculate 70 percent of this to find your target heart rate (THR) for starting these exer- cises. Here is an example for an 18-year-old dancer:

220 – 18 = 202 bpm (MHR)
202 x 0.70 = 141 bpm (THR)—70 percent of your MHR 202 x 0.90 = 182 bpm (THR)—90 percent of your MHR

You may want to start your aerobic training program at the 70 percent end of the range, so for the first week, work at a heart rate of 141 bpm; then the next week, move up to 75 percent and so on until you reach the 90 percent mark.

There are many options you can choose for your aerobic training. These include a static exercise bike, elliptical machine, swimming, skipping, or running on a treadmill. You may want to take into consideration the impact on your joints of some of these activities. For instance, you may wish to choose cycling, elliptical machine, or swimming to avoid loading the joints of the feet, knees, and spine. You can measure your heart rate using a fitness-tracker watch or by using one of the free heart-rate apps available for smartphones. Additionally, some exercise equipment in gyms, such as static bikes and elliptical machines, have built-in heart-rate monitors on the handlebars.

While supplemental cardiovascular training is recommended, it is also considered good practice to include some dance-specific endurance training into dance class itself. Teachers could design this into the class perhaps once a week so that the dancers only need to undertake supplemental training another two times outside of class. This could involve either a high intensity warm-up that is continuous over 20–30 minutes or a center combination that is learned incrementally, then performed for the purpose of continuous repetition over a similar time period (Rafferty 2010). In this way, the endurance requirements for a dancer’s fitness can be addressed within the artistic environment of a dance setting, and not just relegated to a supplemental training routine in a more athletic environment.

About the authors of this completely new edition: Robin Kish received an MFA in Dance from the University of California, Irvine, and an MS in Kinesiology specializing in physiology and biomechanics from California State University, Fullerton. Robin is Associate Professor at Chapman University where she teaches Dance Kinesiology and Injury Prevention, Movement Anatomy, and Exercise Physiology and Conditioning. Jennie Morton is a classically-trained ballet dancer who received a BS with Honors in Osteopathy and MS in Psychology. She is a lecturer at the University College, London, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, and wellness professor, the Colburn School. She is certified as a Clinical Anxiety Treatment professional and a Mental Health Integrative Medicine provider. Jennie has many years of experience in training and treating dancers, from students to Broadway professionals.

Choreographing “Echo Mine”

July 29, 2019 by 4dancers

Robyn Mineko Williams and Jacqueline Burnett rehearse “Echo Mine”.
Photo by Chloe Hamilton.

Chicago’s annual benefit performance, Dance for Life, is a time for community. It’s a time for celebrating dance–and dancers–right here in our city. It’s a time for coming together, and a time for reflection.

This year’s performance offers a great variety of talented dancers and dance companies, as well as a “first look” at Echo Mine, a work choreographed by former Hubbard Street Dance Chicago dancer and award-winning choreographer Robyn Mineko Williams. The piece was inspired by the late Claire Bataille—one of HSDC’s founding dancers, as well as a choreographer and director of the Lou Conte Dance Studio.

We are fortunate to be able to share excerpts from a recent conversation with Robyn, regarding how this piece came into focus, and how the decision was made to included it in this year’s Dance for Life Chicago performance.

You have deep roots in the Chicago dance community. Can you describe your journey from dancer to choreographer in broad terms?

The pathway from dancer to choreographer was not one I expected. When I left Hubbard Street in 2012, I didn’t intend to stop dancing, but choreographic opportunities presented themselves. The more I did it, the more I enjoyed it and found that I had a voice on the other side of the lens. I knew that I was not ready to leave the world of dance. So it’s been an interesting but unexpected career path. When I was a dancer, I thought I’d leave Hubbard and go back to math school, become a math teacher, open a bakery—so I’m very surprised, but not surprised, that I’m still immersed and feel passionate about being an active member of this community.

Robyn Mineko Williams, rehearsing “Echo Mine”. Photo by Chloe Hamilton.

Claire Bataille is a well-known figure in the Chicago dance community. Would you comment on the sense of loss that has been felt with her absence?

Speaking only for myself, it is a huge loss because of the incredible range that she had during her 40+ years in the dance community—dancer, teacher, mentor, friend. When I walk into Lou Conte Dance Studio, I still expect to see her even though I know I’m not going to. She’s been a constant for me and for thousands of people. She’s just part of the web, like the bones of the dance community. Michael Anderson [former Joffrey dancer and now Chicago Dancers United/Dance for Life board member] and I both noticed that, at Claire’s memorial last winter, so many different people were there, not just spanning generations but from many parts of Chicago and beyond. Claire was so much more than Hubbard; she brought dancers together. She was a key figure, like the glue for all of us.

How did this piece wind up coming about for Dance for Life 2019?

The solo I performed at Claire’s memorial was a work in progress and is now part of Echo Mine. I started to reach out to different people in the dance community for advice about a good venue for this piece and other general, technical questions. This is my first independent work on this level—a 50-minute, full-evening work for proscenium. I’d been in the studio and working with composer Tim Rutili of Califone, so creative elements had been in the works for a long time, but the logistical aspects of how to get it to a stage were things I didn’t know. So I reached out to people who I thought could help me. Michael Anderson wanted to bring the piece to Dance for Life as an option, especially since they knew they’d be paying tribute to Claire this year, so it was a good fit. There was some discussion of Hubbard doing Georgia—which they do a phenomenal job with—but it would be hard not to imagine Claire. So Echo Mine is inspired by and of Claire, and made alongside and with her, but not something she had done—it’s more representative of now.

It’s also really important to me that people know that this started with Claire. This is not a piece about cancer or about Claire’s past. I was really interested, and she was too, about creating something together in the present moment, of her today, and all of her history and my history is part of it, they’re ingredients. When I asked Claire what she wanted, she said it was important to tell a story, and I felt it was important that it be about “present Claire.” And after she got sick, she was still OK with that. As this piece comes more and more together, I see that it’s a snapshot of this amazing time we were able to spend together and make something in the present.

I started talking to her about it in early 2017; that was when original idea came up, because I was encouraged to apply for a grant from Chicago Dancemakers Forum. So this was the idea that came to mind: to work with Claire and see her perform my movement and see how much of my movement is actually her. To see her dance again, and for me to be in the room and create with her, would be the coolest, most rare gem. How often do you get to do that with your idol? A person who you looked up to, who you had posters of in your room? I sheepishly asked her, thinking she would never do it, and she said OK, let’s explore it! She agreed to it, we talked a couple times about early ideas, themes—ironically, she brought up the theme of loss and how it’s been a thread throughout her life, and this was before she got sick. We had one rehearsal in October and a month later she was diagnosed with cancer. In late January 2018, I contacted her again to see how she felt about continuing, and she was fine with it. At first she wasn’t comfortable going back into the studio, not because she physically couldn’t do it but emotionally. But in July she did feel well enough, so we were in the studio for about a month, off and on, and we made a solo for her together, and now that’s the source material for the whole piece. It was such a gift. Regardless of her being sick or not, it was such a great excuse to hang out with her and learn more from her and hear her Hubbard Street stories, which brought to life the photos I had of her.

Claire dancing — Claire Bataille teaching at Lou Conte Dance Studio. © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2015.

Can you share a bit about your connection with Claire?

My connection with Claire changed. I saw her dance with Hubbard Street when I was nine, and from that moment on, I thought, “This is it.” So I started as an observer, a fan; when I was a teen, I started taking classes with her. Then at 16, I was on scholarship at Lou Conte Dance Studio for a couple years. When I joined River North, she was our ballet mistress. So our relationship evolved. I joined Hubbard in 2000 when she was still rehearsal director. One of my favorite memories is this: I had auditioned a number of times, and I decided to try one more time in 1999. I went to an open audition, and I think Lou [Conte], Jim [Vincent, income artistic director] and Claire were there. I got the job and Claire said that she asked if she could be the one to call and tell me. So I got the call from Claire, and she said I screamed bloody murder, and when she hung up, her son Isaac asked if she thought I’d call my Mom right away because he could hear me screaming. I remember my first day at Hubbard in class, and she welcomed me to my new home. While at Hubbard I got to know Claire on a different level; I was less socially awkward around her and could talk to her about various things like both of us being moms. So our relationship matured and evolved. I was able to spend time with her, and she was really important to me.

How has this piece taken shape? What’s the process you have used to craft it to specifically honor Claire?

I’ve been talking with Tim Rutili about this as long as I talked to Claire about it. He and his band have composed an original score, which is very different than anything I’ve ever done. He created it after watching videos of Claire and of Claire and me, listening to interviews, and not making it literal but taking it all in and doing his thing. I also have a set and projection designer, Deborah Johnson (aka CandyStations), and will integrate film components. It’s important that we see Claire, and now it’s becoming more evident that the story is a snapshot of this experience I’ve had. I want to finish and share it, keep it simple. I find, as a maker, I tend to go a bit smaller and do what I know and hope that it resonates and makes sense. My story doesn’t have to be the story everyone in the audience gets but I hope it’s filled with enough honesty and humanity that people can take that and make their own thing out of it. And part of what I’m figuring out now is the story and its arc. Part of my initial desire to make a work with Claire is to share beyond Chicago who Claire was—people need to know about this woman and how great she was. I want it to be an introduction for some and a validation or reminiscence for others.

How did you go about selecting dancers for the work?

Originally it was supposed to be a solo for Claire. When she fell ill, I asked Jacqueline Burnett to dance. Then I realized it was not going to be 10 minutes, it was something larger, so I thought we needed more than one dancer. I was very reluctant to dance myself, so I brought in Meredith Dincolo. We’re sort of different generations of Hubbard Street and had different relationships with Claire, but we were all lucky enough to have a solid time with her. In rehearsals, we have an understanding of Claire’s essence. We were all around her, learned from her, watched her—we don’t have to talk about it, we just know. I’ve never danced my own work; I’d rather be outside, it’s easier to create that way. I don’t feel like I need to get back onstage; I feel good about my career, and there’s no unfinished business. But I’m dancing this because it makes sense conceptually. I took myself out maybe four times, but now I’m committed to doing it.

Dance for Life Chicago 2019 takes place at the Auditorium Theatre on August 17th. Tickets are available online, or at the door that evening. 4dancers is proud to serve as a long-time media sponsor for the event. Learn more about the performance, or about DFL’s parent organization, Chicago Dancers United here.

Dancers and Eating Disorders – Warning Signs and Helpful Resources

July 8, 2019 by 4dancers

We are pleased to bring you an article by Dawn Smith-Theodore MA, MFT, CEDS – dancer, teacher, and for the last 20 a psychotherapist with a specialization in eating disorders, based in Los Angeles. She brings her knowledge and her own personal experience with these concerns to her work, and has authored the book “TuTu Thin — a Guide to Dancing Without an Eating Disorder“. She has presented internationally on this topic. This is an important concern in the dance world –please pass it on! – Jan Dunn, Dance Wellness Editor

by Dawn Smith-Theodore, MA, MFT, CEDS

When you suffer from an eating disorder, you live with the mantra, never enough. Whether it’s the number on the scale that could always be lower, or feeling as though you can never get enough food when binging, or when you believe you can never exercise enough, this concept remains a familiar thread in the life of someone who suffers from an eating disorder.

There is always someone better standing next to you in the mirror—someone with a better physique or a higher extension or more perfect feet. The critical mind works overtime, and can inhibit dancers from being able to perform their best at auditions and even in class. Not all dancers develop eating disorders, but research shows that they are 20 times more likely to than the general population.

Many dancers struggle with either an eating disorder or disordered eating in order to achieve the body desired by teachers and choreographers. Instructors play an important role in bringing out the feelings that tell the story of dance. Dancers need constructive criticism to improve technique and strive to be the best they can, but someone who has the predisposition for an eating disorder can hear the critique as an affirmation in their head that they’re just not enough. To help a dancer recover from an eating disorder, teachers, families and even the dancer must work together to understand and address the critical voice that says, never enough.

A common theme among dancers, whether they have eating disorders, disordered eating, body image concerns, or the basic belief that it’s never enough, is that they need to control the size of their body in order to dance. Each dancer perceives a message that their ability as a dancer is not enough, and that they also must have a perfect body. Yet truth be told, it is possible to navigate through struggles with body image, eating disorders, and the boundless desire to dance.

The dance world does not create the eating disorder, but it is part of the recipe that leads to an eating disorder. It is perhaps ironic that the same certain personality types prone to developing an eating disorder (such as the perfectionist) will also pursue a dancing career. For example, someone who is a perfectionist may really like that trait about themselves, because it’s the same aspect that drives them to be as good as possible at everything they do. A hard worker does the work that’s needed to accomplish a task and be satisfied with their work, but the perfectionist will never be happy unless they’re the best.

The problem is that perfect does not exist. We are humans, so we are not perfect! This is the cycle that keeps someone with an eating disorder stuck, while they strive for the impossible dream of perfectionism.
There is a dangerous line where perfectionism becomes problematic and the dancer begins to lose perspective. The dark side of perfectionism begins when a dancer believes that they are never good enough. No matter what they do, they never measure up. The dancer who has crossed that line believes that they must never make mistakes. The feelings that ensue are those of shame and guilt, because they are not living up to the expectations of others.

They become hypercritical of themselves and always feel that they could be doing better. The thoughts become very black and white. If they aren’t perfect, they are a failure. The thoughts and drive for perfectionism is taken to the extreme, and the dancer begins to spin out of control. Dancing may no longer be enjoyable. The love that the person once had for dance starts to fade away. The occupation with weight begins to be what the dancer can control since they feel out of control in their dancing, or of what others think of them. The eating disorder is a distraction and a way to escape the fear that they won’t succeed as a dancer.

The signs of an eating disorder can be very discreet. It may be difficult to recognize an eating disorder in oneself or a loved one. It may also be easy to hide an eating disorder (at least at first) from friends and family members.

Some Warning Signs:

1. Weight loss
2. Obsession with food, weight, and calories
3. Isolation from friends and family
4. Frequent trips to the bathroom after meals and snacks
5. Food disappearing from the kitchen
6. Changes in mood…extreme irritation and agitation
7. Wearing baggy clothes to cover the body

As a dancer concerned about your body, you might start a diet with the intention of losing a few pounds, but it can quickly become a downward spiral of deception. Obviously, not everyone who goes on a diet develops an eating disorder. There are many reasons someone develops an eating disorder. No one chooses to have an eating disorder – but there is a choice to recover.

Education about eating disorders is key for the dancer and their families. Early detection can be very helpful in the success or the treatment of any eating disorder. Your dance teacher and dance studio should understand the benefits of healthy body image. Since you probably spend hours at the studio, the first person to notice any changes could be your dance teacher. Many times, dancers spend more time with their dance teacher and dance friends than they do with their family and school friends. It’s important for those in the dance community to look out for one another and support a healthy lifestyle.

You can help create a healthy atmosphere by helping to educate others about the importance of a healthy self-image as a dancer. If you hear another dancer or teacher talking about diets, bad foods, or negatively about their body, try talking about how important our bodies are as dancers.

If you suspect another dancer or a loved one has an eating disorder, you want to approach them with love and curiosity. Perhaps the individual won’t admit to the problem, but they know that you are noticing and concerned. This may cause them to want to be more open with you.

Strive to be the best dancer you can be. Care for your body as it is your instrument. Proper nourishment and sleep are very important. Compete with yourself and don’t constantly compare yourself to others. Dance for the enjoyment of what you do. Allow yourself the motivation to achieve realistic expectations. Allow yourself the pleasure of recognizing your accomplishments. Being a dancer is something very special. Do not let the allure of being perfect or not enough steal your love of dance from you.

Helpful Resources:

The following organizations offer more information on eating disorders, as well as referral lists for doctors, dieticians and therapists in your area.
· Academy for Eating Disorders (AED)
· National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders
· Families Empowered & Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (F.E.A.S.T.)
· International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP)
· National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
· Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

Dawn Smith-Theodore, MA, MFT, CEDS is a former professional dancer, studio owner for 25 years in Los Angeles, and psychotherapist for the past 20 years specializing in the treatment of eating disorders. She is the author of a book about dancers and eating disorders, “TuTu Thin… A Guide to Dancing without an Eating Disorder” featured in Dance, Pointe, and Dance Teacher Magazines. Dawn has written for Pointe Magazine and is an international speaker. Dawn is recovered from Anorexia Nervosa and feels passionate about educating the dance world to help the prevention of eating disorders. Dawn is co owner of Cross Pointe Dance and Head to Pointe Wellness Workshops for Dancers.

To learn more about Dawn and her work, visit her website.

Transitioning To Soloist

April 17, 2019 by 4dancers

Samantha Hope Galler, Miami City Ballet — Samantha Hope Galler and Chase Swatosh in Carousel Pas de Deux. Photo © Daniel Azoulay.

by Samantha Hope Galler

In my opinion, dance should be held up to the light like a precious stone. It should be examined, polished, and set out for display. Its beauty should not be taken for granted. I learned early on that dance would hold a special place in my life and have always tried to give my heart and soul to it. As dancers, we set goals for ourselves in categories, separating those that are more likely to be obtained from others. Being promoted was a goal of mine, but it was a goal that sat in the unimaginable category.

February 3^rd, 2018 was a big day. It started out as a normal performance day with a matinee and an evening performance in West Palm Beach. I approached it with new energy, motivation, and confidence because it was another day to dance. After I performed, that moment happened. I was told I was now going to be a Soloist. It was a surreal moment that I snapshotted in my mind forever. For me, it is not just a promotion involving dancing, but of serving as a role model as well.

This adjustment has made me think about my days in ballet school where I trained hard to hopefully, one day, accomplish the basically impossible task of becoming a ballet dancer. I think about the few, but influential individuals that told me or my Mom that I would never get a job, or that I was too athletic looking, along with my torso being too long. I think this is one of the worst parts of the dance world. Underestimation. Or maybe, it is the wording behind the underestimation that affects a person and their thought process going forward. I am 29 now, and that criticism still sticks with me.

Adjusting to this promotion starts with realizing that it has actually happened. Then it is important to put it somewhere in your mind where it motivates you, and does not stop you from pushing or persevering. It can be about becoming more of the person you are because you are given different responsibilities under a different, but good type of pressure. The growth is different for every dancer. The path I took up until this point provided me an opportunity to work in the Corps de Ballet and then see the same dance world from another side. It has been very interesting and I could not be more grateful. To be given the chance to understand and appreciate each position individually is unmatchable in scope. I only look forward to learning more about myself during this time in my career.

Samantha Hope Galler. Photograph by Daniel Azoulay.

Samantha Hope Galler, a Bedford, Mass. native, spent 13 years training with The Ballet Academy, Inc., under the direction of Frances Kotelly in the Cecchetti Method. She performed six seasons with The Northeast Youth Ballet under the direction of Denise Cecere. She continued training, on scholarship, with Boston Ballet School and received the PAO Merit Trainee Scholarship. She received the NFAA Honorable Mention Award in Ballet. Galler spent summers training at Boston Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Boston Conservatory. She danced with Cincinnati Ballet in their 2008-2009 season under the direction of Victoria Morgan.

Galler spent five seasons with Alabama Ballet under the direction of Tracey Alvey and Roger Van Fleteren. During her tenure there, she was promoted to principal dancer. She had the honor of performing some of her dream roles including Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, The Lilac Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty, The Sylph and Effie in La Sylphide, Myrtha and Moyna in Giselle, Dryad Queen and Mercedes in Don Quixote, the Rancher’s Daughter in Agnes De Mille’s Rodeo. Her Balanchine roles included Dark Angel in Serenade; The Sugarplum Fairy, Arabian and Lead Marzipan in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™; and the principal roles in Allegro Brillante and Tarantella. She has also performed in Jiří Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, and Van Fleteren’s Shostakovich and Romancing Rachmaninov, both world premieres.

Galler joined Miami City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2014 and was promoted to Soloist in 2018. Galler was named a Capezio Athlete in August 2017.

Follow Samantha on her website and blog.

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