Meet Samantha Hope Galler | Soloist with Miami City Ballet – Performer, Educator, Mentor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Hope Galler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha Hope, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk has played a vital role in my life personally and professionally. It works against you if you do not pursue it. Over the years, I have become more and more comfortable standing outside the bubble of mine where I feel safe. When I think about risk, I get a knot in my stomach because I know it will be a bumpy and not so easy road. With that said, as I self reflect, especially during the last year, I realize how much risk has shaped me as an artist. Pursuing what makes me scared, uncomfortable, or unsteady is where I find myself exploring another side of who I am.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
At this point, I have been fortunate to tell my story to so many generations of ballet students during my career. In hopes of sharing a glimmer of hope or two along with advice on negative feedback, constructive criticism, or rejection there is always more to share or another student to help. As a professional ballet dancer, it is important to be comfortable in your own skin. Over the years, I learned to accept who I am as a person and an artist. I realized and still experience the same realization today that I am not going to be like the other female dancers in the room. As humans we are eager to be or look like the others and it slips by us that we need to be ourselves. That until we see clearly, we will never face ourselves as the artist we are meant to become. This realization is the most important of them all on this journey. I want people to know that I am who I am because of my experiences, past and present, self reflection, confrontation, internal doubt, and incredible moments. All of these together have made me the best artist I can be.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First off, I love Miami. The sun, beach, palm trees, food, and just overall energy is like no other place I have ever lived before. If my best friend visited, and actually when she did! We would make sure to have Cuban food, catch a sunrise on the beach, check out Wynwoods amazing walls, shop or just look around at Bal Harbour shops, explore the Perez museum, or have a picnic outside at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents, husband, and ballet teacher, and of course Miami City Ballet!

Website: Www.samanthagaller.com

Instagram: Lifeisadebut

Linkedin: Samantha Hope Galler

Twitter: SamanthaGaller

Facebook: Samantha Hope Galler

Image Credits
Daniel Azoulay Jonathan K. Taylor www.jontaylornyc.com Melissa Dooley