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Samantha Miller Grossman is a performer, choreographer, and educator based in Western Massachusetts. She is a gardener, community organizer, Jewish practitioner, and geographer focused on the links made by culture, language, and landscape across space and across generations.
Samantha's formal dance training rests on a foundation in ballet and modern dance, with her movement further informed by study of contact improvisation, contemporary styles, Yiddish folk dance, and flamenco. She received her early dance education at the Community Academy of the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, MA under the tutelage of Nancy Stark, Emily Beatty, and Melodie Cassell, studying ballet and Limon technique. She continued her training in ballet, modern dance, and character dance at the School of Richmond Ballet from 2011-2018, where her teachers included Arnott Mader, Susan Israel Massey, Judy Jacobs, Tara Penick, Cecile Tuzii, Jasmine Grace, and Jerri Kumery. Samantha holds a BA in Cultural Geography from Smith College, where she continued her dance education with Rodger Blum, Angie Hauser, Chris Aiken, Nancy Stark Smith, Christina Martin, Sarah Lass, and Michelle Erard. Her original choreography has been presented at Smith College, the Accademia dell'Arte (Arezzo, Italy), the Northampton Center for the Arts, and LOCULUS Studios (Holyoke, MA). Recent performance credits include works by Rodger Blum, Sarah Lass, and Maddy Sher.
Samantha's artistic practice is deeply informed by their involvement in religious and secular Jewish life, their work in horticulture and landscape preservation, and the places they call home. Samantha has a wealth of experience organizing community events, building solidarity, and connecting communities to the places where they live and thrive. They are invested in building community that is rooted in place, tradition, and justice.
Smith College, 2018-2023
B.A. Cultural Geography, Cum Laude
Professors in Dance: Rodger Blum, Chris Aiken, Angie Hauser, Sarah Lass, Michelle Erard, Christina Martin, Nancy Stark Smith
Advisor: Steven Moga
Universita di Firenze, Florence, Italy, Spring 2022
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Study, Richmond VA, 2014-2018
School of Richmond Ballet - 2011-2018
Member of the SRB Ensemble; Instructors: Susan Israel Massey, Arnott Mader, Tara Penick, Jasmine Grace, Judy Jacob, Cecile Tuzii, Igor Antonov, Jerri Kumery, Malcolm Burns, Starr Foster
Community Academy at Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts - 2003-2011
Instructors: Nancy Stark, Natalie Nevert, Emily Beatty, Melodie Cassell
Accademia dell'arte, Arezzo, Italy, Summer Dance Intensive July 2022
School of Richmond Ballet, Richmond VA, Summer Intensives 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Pittsburgh Youth Ballet, Pittsburgh PA, Summer Intensive 2016
Walnut Hill, Natick MA, Youth Summer Dance,2012-2013
Summer Fellow, The Piedmont Environmental Council, Warrenton VA, June-August 2021
Campus Leadership Davening Fellow, Hadar Institute, NYC (remote), July-August 2021
The Ohel Minyan, Northampton MA (2023-present) - Board member, prayer leader (shaliach tzibur) at a homegrown traditional egalitarian minyan (small Jewish community); coordinates weekly volunteers, plans and operates annual/monthly/weekly events connected to holidays, engages with the difficulties and beauty of existing in politically and sociall diverse community. Skills used: event planning, meeting/discussion facilitation, shared planning documents, short- and long-term goal setting regarding the health and future of our community.
Northampton Center for the Arts, Northampton MA (2024-present) - Gallery Docent
Mutual Aid Distribution RVA, Richmond VA (2020-2021) - Hotline volunteer, answered calls from community members to sign them up for food deliveries, handled emotional conversations with grace, empathy, and confidentiality.
The Susan Cohen ’62 and Paula Deitz ’59 Prize, Landscape Studies Department of Smith College - 2023
Arnott Mader Award, The School of Richmond Ballet - 2018