ABOUT
BIO
Sam is a St. Louis based artist, choreographer, and educator. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Washington University in St. Louis in 2018. She received her Bachelor of Arts in both Psychology and Dance, with a minor in Visual Art, magna cum laude from WashU in 2015.
Bridging the gap between professional concert dance and theatre, her choreography often uses humor as a tool for social commentary. Sam brings her jubilant spirit to both the stage and her teaching practice. (See teaching philosophy and artist statements below)
After serving two years as the Dance and Pre-Professional Division Manager at the Center of Creative Arts, Sam decided to go back to full-time freelance work. She currently serves as a Rehearsal Assistant and choreographer for COCA’s Pre-Professional Contemporary/Modern company, and as a member of the Faculty where she teaches advanced Jazz and Horton technique. She teaches company class for Resilience Dance Company, is a STEAM Educator at Laumeier Sculpture Park, and also works a bit at St. Louis Academy of Dance. She is looking to travel, create, and choreograph more in 2025.
In the past she has served as an adjunct professor at both Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University. From 2015-2018 she was a resident choreographer, administrator, company dancer, creative director, and educator with Consuming Kinetics Dance Company (now Pack Dance) as well as a teaching artist for Springboard to Learning, Vitality Ballet, STAGES, WashU Rec and UMSL Fitness Centers. She was an office manager for Clayton Chiropractic Center and an academic coach at a local tutoring agency for middle and high-schoolers as well. (Are you tired yet? )
In the summer of 2024 she choreographed St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “As You Like It” (dir. Nancy Bell) and helped with movement in “The Tempest” (dir. Tom Ridgely) as well. In 2022 she was the choreographer for Washington University’s production of “Into the Woods,” alongside director Annamaria Pileggi and the Bee Play directed by Elizabeth Sauvage at New Jewish Theatre. In 2019 she choreographed Stray Dog Theatre’s Evil Dead the Musical, Saint Louis University’s “Godspell,” and premiered a new work for the Big Muddy Dance Company's concert "Home Grown” (now known as St. Louis Dance Theatre under the direction of Kirven Douthit-Boyd). Her choreography for Stray Dog Theatre’s production of “Spring Awakening” in 2018 was nominated for the “Outstanding Choreography” Award by the Theatre Circle. As a dancer she has performed in works choreographed (or re-staged) by Christine O’Neal, David Marchant, Cecil Slaughter, Dawn Karlovsky, Jock Soto of NYCB, Rodney Hamilton of Ballet Hispanico, Sylvia Waters and Elizabeth Roxas of AAADT, Kameron Saunders, Lynn M. Bobzin, Madison DeWitt, Rob Scoggins, Emily Duggins-Ehling, and more. She has also performed in and served as assistant choreographer in drama productions directed by Andrea Urice, Jeffrey Matthews, and Henry Schvey. She has enjoyed choreographing many wedding first-dances, college audition solos, a music video, a Bridgerton-themed tea party, and more.
Originally from Nashville, TN, her dance training background includes ballet, tap, jazz, musical theatre, modern, hip-hop, and improvisation. Notable instructors include Sarah and Tom Shoemaker, Jennifer McNamara, and Erin Law. She was accepted to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Professional Division Summer Intensive at 16 years old. In the MFA program she strengthened her performance acumen by taking advanced acting courses under the mentorship of Andrea Urice, Bill Whitaker, and Annamaria Pileggi, and strengthened her technique with advanced ballet and Horton classes led by Antonio and Kirven Douthit-Boyd. She’s taken master classes with Judith Jamison and so many more folks she’d honestly have to consult her CV to remember them all. All this to say, her extensive training and performance background have greatly informed her work as a choreographer and teaching artist.
As for her visual art, drawing was always a side-passion for Sam until 2020. She began not only selling her artwork and prints at local farmers’ markets, but she also began displaying series of her work at galleries both locally and nationwide. Her artwork has won multiple awards of merit (see EXHIBITIONS). She hopes to hone her craft as this freelance chapter continues, by creating a new body of work and cranking out custom commissions!
TEACHING
Sam has taught all ages and abilities, from early-childhood to wheelchair-bound, elderly adults. She believes it’s never too late to dance, and thinks anyone with a body and a love for music is a dancer if they just let themselves try. While she mostly teaches advanced pre-professional middle and high-schoolers these days, she enjoys working with all ages and abilities. She loves teaching Horton technique, Jazz, Musical Theatre, Tap, Contemporary, Ballet, Improvisation, Composition, and Conditioning (beginning through advanced). Former students have gone on to dance at Juilliard, Boston Conservatory, Lines Ballet, and more!
PHILOSOPHY
For almost ten years my teaching motto has been “I do not have to be serious to be taken seriously.” I will always bring a jubilant, vibrant, humorous presence to my classrooms. Dance has always been a source of joy in my life and I fully believe artists grow best in nurturing environments. I think a dose of laughter tends to make any type of challenge more accessible, so while you will physically be pushed to your limits in my classes, you’ll at least have fun while you’re at it. Life is too short to take things too seriously, and I fully condone goofiness in students of all ages. If that offends you, I encourage you to talk about it with your therapist. : )
Dancers should not only be challenged, but encouraged, empowered, and seen as whole human beings. Students of all levels of ability and from all backgrounds are more willing to take risks if they feel safe. I also strive to make every student not only feel comfortable, but genuinely cared for. I believe the classroom is such a sacred environment for learning lessons that go far beyond mere dance steps. Lessons learned range from building self-respect, to fostering positive body-image, dedication, taking constructive criticism, improving confidence and time-management, self-advocacy and more. I never want my students to be scared of me, for in my experience fear-mongering and earning respect are (and should be) two very different things, (the first of which I will never condone). I will remain unapologetic in my joyful teaching approach, and continue to fiercely protect and support both the physical and emotional well-being of my students.
ARTIST STATEMENT(s)
In short: “Laughter is the best medicine.” and
“Take your broken heart and turn it into art”
In long? See below:
DANCE
If I had to sum it up, my art tends to transmute challenge into chuckles. My choreography, more often than not, blends contemporary dance with satirical dance theatre. From the safety of the stage, I can say what many folks are thinking but are too scared to say out loud. If I could condense my work into two words? Joyful subversion. While my pieces often get audiences laughing. the hope is they end up thinking later on “Wait, was that about me?” Am I the problem?” or “Wow, she really didn’t hold back, that was bold and I love her for it.” As a queer person who came out on stage to an audience of over 800 people (including my parents), subtle has never really been my style. I think the stage is a powerful place for transformation to take place, and if audiences can see a bit of themselves in the work, they are more likely to be moved (pun intended).
VISUAL ART
As for my visual art, I’d say my work is a bit more serious, Creation is about the flow of a medium-in-motion, which then allows my brain to experience flow and translate whatever cannot be easily expressed via words or movement into the physical realm. This is fancy-speak for, “I make art so I DON’T have to talk about it, okay?” Leave me alone.