We are excited to introduce Florrie Geller, a new company artist joining Sacramento Ballet for the 2024/25 season. Florrie brings an impressive background in classical ballet, having trained at prestigious institutions such as Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, and San Francisco Ballet School. A gold medalist at the Youth America Grand Prix and the first recipient of the Gillian Murphy Endowed Scholarship at UNCSA, she has graced the stage with companies like Cincinnati Ballet and Oakland Ballet. With standout roles in The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Cleopatra, and experience working with some of the world’s most sought after choreographers, Florrie is ready to share her talent with our Sacramento audience. Read on to learn more about her journey and what she’s looking forward to this season!
- What first drew you to ballet, and how has your journey in dance shaped who you are today?
I come from an artistic family and as a young child, I was constantly playing dress up and dancing around the house. I’d only walk on my toes which everyone thought was cute until doctors discovered I lacked the range of motion to be able to flex my feet and walk normally. I started taking ballet classes as a more enjoyable form of physical therapy and alternative to sleeping in night splints. At one point, my physical therapists suggested I sleep in converse sneakers – it was absolutely awful!!
Because I didn’t have the range of motion, I had to work very hard from the beginning in ballet. But I learned early on just how much I loved the process and constant effort that ballet requires. And that love of learning and working and growing has followed me throughout my ballet journey and career.
- Is there a particular role or performance that holds special significance for you? What makes it so meaningful?
When I was 17, I had the opportunity to perform the title role of Giselle in the full-length ballet. Exploring and connecting to such deep, profound emotions required a vulnerability and trust in myself that I had never experienced. From the moment the ballet started and I burst out of the cottage doors, I knew my life was forever changing. I completely fell in love with the magic of storytelling and learned that there is nothing more thrilling than going mad onstage. Giselle, as a character, is such a beautiful embodiment of grace, love, and forgiveness. I like to think I’ve kept a little part of her with me.
- Can you share a moment in your dance career where you faced a significant challenge and how you overcame it?
I’m sure it doesn’t come as a shock when I say the years 2020/2021. I spent over 400 days taking zoom ballet class on my 5×5 square of marley dance flooring while quarantined and helping out my high-risk parents. Feeling “nonessential” was devastating and without my normal daily rehearsal and teaching routines, I felt particularly lost. Yet I found solace and a little glimpse of normalcy through online ballet communities like Worldwide Ballet Class (to this day people tell me that they recognize me from zoom ballet – it always cracks me up!). I started taking college courses, became certified in mat Pilates and Progressing Ballet Technique, and learned how to not travel so much in fouetté turns. The biggest blessing, however, was that it brought me to my coach, Magaly Suarez. After working with her at home via zoom, I ended up moving to south Florida for the year to train and get back in shape. I became a much stronger and more confident dancer and grew my ballet circle.
- How do you see your artistry evolving with Sacramento Ballet, and what do you hope to bring to the company?
I often think of ballet careers like beautiful quilts. Every choreographer we work with and ballet we perform adding to the dancer we become, bringing greater depth. I’ve admired the dynamic range of repertoire of Sacramento Ballet for several years and I’m so excited that I will be able to discover new layers of my own dancing.
- Outside of the studio, what passions or hobbies do you pursue that contribute to your life as a dancer?
I love to write, draw, read, and knit and I’m hoping to learn how to crochet this year. I’m also a huge film lover and am always so excited to discuss my latest watch. I find great joy and satisfaction in curating Spotify playlists – both for the ballet classes I teach and my life ambience. Even though I don’t know how to play tennis, I avidly follow the ATP and WTA tours and players. My goals are to learn a language, write a screenplay, get a puppy, and attend the 2025 Rod Laver Cup in San Francisco.
- Who are the people or artists that have inspired you the most in your dance journey, and why?
My dad is one of my biggest inspirations. He grew up in the golden age of Hollywood and began working in the arts at the age of 14 (writing novelty lyrics for Gene Kelly!). He’s a novelist, a screenwriter, an actor, and a professor and his love for his craft fuels him every single day. He’s a living example of loving your job and he’s always shown me that if you want to do something and your heart is fully in it, you have the power to make that happen. Even at 84, not a day goes by where he isn’t writing or researching or sharing his wisdom.
- What excites you the most about becoming part of the Sacramento Ballet, and what are you looking forward to in this new chapter?
I’m excited to join the company in this milestone season and be part of the 70th anniversary celebration. I look forward to honoring the company’s longstanding history of excellence and being part of the exceptional group of artists that bring Sacramento Ballet into the future.
- Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that guides you in your dance career and life?
One time before a performance when I was a child, autocorrect changed my mom’s “good luck” text message to “be idiotic.” Ever since, the phrase has become part of our vocabulary. I think it’s important to not always take everything so seriously. I savor those moments of laughter and goofiness. They’re grounding and essential.
- How do you approach connecting with the audience during a performance, and what do you hope they take away from watching you dance?
As dancers, we are ambassadors of hope and beauty and empathy. No matter what may be happening in the world, we all need reminders of goodness. My greatest desire is that when someone comes to a performance, they get that break from reality and for a few hours, can be completely immersed in a different world.
- What are your aspirations for the future, both as a dancer and as an individual?
As a dancer, I want to see how far I can push myself outside of my technical, creative, and artistic comfort zones and be part of the movement to make ballet more accessible and inclusive to new dancers and new audiences. As a dance educator, I want to share my knowledge and love of the arts through an environment where my students can grow to meet challenges while developing confidence and positive senses of self •