Sam Turner began his training in music and dance at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. School of the Arts, the Academy of Ballet Florida, Boston Ballet and Lou Conte Dance Studio at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He was accepted into the Ballet program at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. There, he was coached and mentored by Violette Verdy; and performed principal roles within the classical, contemporary and African diaspora repertoire. Graduating with a B.S. in Ballet and Kinesiology, he moved back East to dance with Mark Morris, Elisa Monte, Jennifer Archibald, and Karen Gayle. Company credits include Chicago Dance Theatre, Roxey Ballet, American Repertory Ballet and Elisa Monte Dance Company, where he toured throughout North America and Europe; performing in works choreographed by Graham Lustig, Twyla Tharp, Lisa de Ribere, Elisa Monte and Tiffany Rea-Fisher. Industry credits include The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Cirque du Soleil, Iphigénie en Tauride at Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Orfeo ed Euridice at The MET. He was invited to perform at the Inside/Out Festival at Jacob’s Pillow, DUMBO Dance Festival, and at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto for The International Association of Blacks in Dance.

His passion for dance paved the way for dance education and choreographic projects. Turner staged/ created original pieces for dancers and has taught for The Harlem School of the Arts, The Joffrey Ballet School, Ballet Tech, American Youth Dance Theater, TAG Young Scholars, STEPS on Broadway Youth, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Ballet Theater, Princeton Ballet School, Kicks Dance Studio, Diva Dance, and Art of Dance. As an ABT® NTC certified Fellow & Affiliate Teacher, he founded Turner Training, under which he’s coached and mentored students who’ve been accepted into prestigious Performing Arts institutions.