Valentina Baldini, Editor-in-Chief
Born and raised in New York City, Savannah Green has flourished as a dancer and an artist. She has attended LaGuardia High School for dance, studied at Manhattan Youth Ballet and the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is currently a dancer at BalletX. She has toured internationally for dance, performing works by choreographers like José Limón and Andrea Miller.
Contributed by Savannah Green
Before she began touring and dancing for various dance companies, Savannah started at LaGuardia High School where she expanded her versatility. “My advice to young dancers is to diversify their training as much as possible,” she said. “LaGuardia High School exposed me to modern dance techniques that continue to influence my artistic choices to this day. The more choices you have artistically, the more you can make your dancing unique to your voice.”
Currently, Savannah is a part of BalletX, a Philadelphia-based dance company, where she focuses on styles like contemporary and ballet. Her journey to being a member started with a piece she saw. “I was first drawn to BalletX after seeing a performance of the iconic work, The Last Glass, choreographed by Matthew Neenan,” Savannah said. “What stood out to me specifically was the dancers’ ability to seamlessly blend their humanity with exquisite ballet technique. I had never seen this type of movement expression before and I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of a company where this type of work is made.”
Contributed by Savannah Green
“Now having been a member of BalletX for six seasons, I understand the process of creating such deep work much more intimately. To create ballets with such artistic depth, there has to be a shared sense of safety, trust and respect for all creators that are involved,” she said.
Savannah emphasizes how everyone’s dance journey is different. “I believe that trusting your instincts will lead you to the place you are meant to be,” she said. “As you audition for different programs, really tune into how you feel on different campuses and with each professor.”
University of California, Santa Barbara has one of the best dance programs in the nation. They are known for their conservatory-based classes and emphasis on creative self-expression. “UC Santa Barbara offered me a unique blend of academic rigor, life experience and dance training,” Savannah said. “I intuitively knew I wanted to have a “normal” college experience while having the ability to continue dancing.”
“I felt right at home during my audition process and the gorgeous campus was certainly hard to pass up. I truly enjoyed my audition classes, and the ability to find other academic passions was exactly what I knew I needed. Once I was accepted to UC Santa Barbara, I knew that was where I wanted to be. It truly just felt right,” Savannah said.
For Savannah, dance is her voice. “Dancing is a natural language for me. I was shy as a young girl and found speaking to be difficult,” she said. “Being in a dance studio and feeling understood by other dancers was extraordinary. Ballet felt like home as soon as I found it, and I‘m so lucky to have learned more dance languages that opened up other parts of myself. Dancing is a celebration of humanity.”
