Samantha Ostolaza

Dance Instructor

Samantha is an accomplished dancer with over 20 years of performance experience in the U.S. and Europe. She spent several years touring Europe with “Diastasis” the national dance company of Cyprus, sharing stages in London, Moscow, Paris, and Athens with international notables including George Dalaras, Nana Mouskouri and George Moustakis. In the U.S. she was a principal dancer in the legendary stage spectacular “Jubilee”, as well as a featured dancer and showgirl in the world-famous“Les Folies-Bergere” in Las Vegas. She has danced on television specials with Jim Belushi, Ellen Degeneres, Paris Hilton and has choreographed for MTV’s “Roadies-Las Vegas”. She has led company classes during her time with “Diastatis” and “Jubilee”.

Originally from Tucson, AZ, Samantha began her early ballet training at the France Academy of Dance under the direction of Richard France and later, at the University of Arizona with Melissa Lowe and Jory Hancock. She was a soloist with the Tucson Metropolitan Dance Company, performing classic repertoire including Swan Lake Act II, The Nutcracker, and Don Quixote. She also performed several seasons in the corps de ballet of the Arizona Opera Company under the direction of Richard Holden. Samantha continued her dance studies in London, training at Pineapple Dance Studios, and experiencing the rigors of auditioning for West End productions. Samantha has studied several styles of dance including ballet, jazz, tap, modern and character. She takes every opportunity to continue training and learning by attending dance classes.In 2014 Samantha transitioned from performer to teacher, teaching ballet to all levels of students from pre-school through adults in the greater Las Vegas area.  As a teacher, Samantha uses her years of experience to reinforce the positive influence of the performing arts on young dancers. She is respected for her talent in dance and understands the technique, discipline, and dedication necessary to prepare young dancers for a career in dance.Samantha understands the importance of adapting to the way students train, and feels it is vital to actively participate in workshops, seminars and continuing education courses in order to stay current and train students safely. She is a level3 certified Progressing Ballet Technique instructor, AcrobaticArts Module 1 certified instructor and a current member of the National Dance Education Organization.