Stephanie Maiorano joined San Diego Ballet in 2007 and has performed principal roles in: Suite Italiannne, Romeo et Juliet, Giselle, Firebird, The Many Loves of Don Juan, The Nutcracker, Love 20 Cents the First Quarter Mile, The Seven Beauties and others. Soloist roles include Mambomania, Sweet Synergy Suite, the Flamingo from Carnival of the Animals, Princess Florine from Sleeping Beauty, Rhapsody, Echale Salsita, and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Previous Companies include Southern California Ballet and Houston Ballet Studio Company. While the principal dancer at Southern California Ballet, Stephanie performed the title roles in Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Paquita, Coppelia, as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.
While a member of the Houston Ballet Studio Company, she performed Ben Stevenson’s BlueBird Pas de Deux from Sleeping Beauty, and Dying Swan; also leading roles in Stanton Welch’s Fingerprints and Blue.
Stephanie was featured in the San Diego Union Tribune under Notable San Diegans and holds her Chechetti diploma with Honors after training with Sylvia Palmer Zetler (National Ballet of Canada), and Ahita Ardalan (Paris Opera Ballet).
Stephanie also is the Artistic Director of the San Diego Ballet Summer Intensive, and guest performs and coaches throughout Southern California and Mexico. Stephanie has also created her own online dance program titled The Daily Dancer to offer a safe space for anyone to learn and thrive through ballet, with the mission to make the world of ballet more accessible to all, and to encourage more to find joy in moving their bodies through the art of ballet.
- What ignited your passion for dance?
When I first saw a performance of the Nutcracker I was fascinated by the girls my age in costumes up on stage dancing. I immediately turned to my parents and said I want to be up there.
- What inspired you to pursue a professional career in dance?
As soon as I realized it was an option to be a grown up and just do ballet all day, I decided to pursue it.
- What is your favorite thing about being a dancer?
Getting to spend the day doing what I have always felt I was meant to do. The moments I can lose myself In the music and the choreography makes every hard day worth it.
- What is your biggest dream for your dance career?
To continue to grow as a performer and to help inspire future dancers to follow the same path I’m lucky enough to be on
- When you’re not pirouetting and perfecting your pliés, what brings you joy?
Burritos and spending time with my family and my cavapoo Napoleon
- What is the most transformative experience you’ve had as a dancer?
I’ve had a few… but a stand out was performing my first principal role made for me in a ballet called Suite Italianne. It helped propel me into becoming a principal dancer and it pushed me to prove myself more than ever.
- What is your favorite ballet?
Giselle
- What is your favorite role you have performed at San Diego Ballet and what is a role you would like to perform in the future?
I have a lot of favorites, but my top two would be Giselle and Juliet. In the future I would love to perform the role of Odette from Swan Lake.
- What is your favorite local spot in San Diego?
I love Balboa Park.