Samantha Hills
Principal Lecturer in Dance
Samantha began her journey in the performing arts at the age of five, dancing and performing with her local amateur dramatic society. By 13, she had landed the title role in the musical Annie, performed by the Variety Club of Great Britain at London's Dominion Theatre. Her passion for the stage grew, leading her to complete two courses with the esteemed National Youth Theatre at ages 15 and 16, where she played Miranda in Shakespeare's The Tempest,choreographed by a then-little-known Matthew Bourne.
Samantha's dream of performing on the West End led her to a three-year full-time course at London Studio Centre. In her final year, she secured high-profile jobs, including dancing for Simply Red at the Brit Awards, choreographed by Arlene Phillips, and joining the West End production of Grease at the Dominion Theatre. Over the next three years, she played Donna-Sue, Marty, and Frenchy under the direction of David Gilmore and choreography of Arlene Phillips.
Her career flourished as she toured the UK with the original production of Happy Days, played Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show, and took on multiple roles in Fame at the Aldwych Theatre, choreographed by Karen Bruce. Samantha also starred as Doreen and understudied Annette in the UK National Tour of Saturday Night Fever, working again with Phillips and Bruce.
Beyond the stage, Samantha appeared in films and television, including Victoria and Albert,The Scandalous Four, and commercials for One2One and Mini BMW. She danced commercially for Simply Red, Lippy Lou, and Robbie Williams, and performed in various pantomimes, Royal Variety performances, singing gigs, and as an assistant to magician Simon Drake. Samantha's diverse career also includes roles as an executive receptionist, mystery shopper, London & New York Fashion week choreographer and Abba tribute band member!
For the past decade, she has taught on the triple threat course at The University of Chichester and is now the Principal Lecturer of Dance at Performers College Brighton alongside running her theatrical agency Berrisford Hills Associates. Samantha is proud of her varied career and is dedicated to imparting her hard-earned knowledge to her students.
