Samantha Italiano - goes by Sam- was born and raised in Colorado, growing up in a studio that emphasized artistic expression, exploration, and the opportunity to perform in a variety of settings. Studying under Danielle Heller and Brenna Kuhn, along with many other greats, Sam’s passion for tap dance evolved and she explored the artform with the utmost enthusiasm, alongside ballet, ballroom, jazz, and modern. While attending Elon University in North Carolina, Sam studied with Gene Medler, the Founder and Artistic Director of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, working alongside Medler to co-direct, choreograph and perform in the university’s annual tap dance showcase. Sam loves to share her passion while on stage, performing as a guest artist with Untapped in Little Rock and Kaleena Miller Dance in Minneapolis. Sam has taught in a variety of settings including: recreation center dance programs; dance studios; public & private school programs; non-profit programming; after-school programs; one-time workshops; and most recently choreographing for musicals. No matter the setting, she emphasizes dance history, rhythmic intricacies, and performance skills hoping to ignite a fire in her students as Sam’s teachers have done for her