Galina Samsova, who has died aged 84, was a ballerina with a distinctive Russian style, who was acclaimed in the west at a time when few Soviet-trained dancers were performing there. A radiant and musical dancer, Samsova was noted for her soaring jump, her stunningly eloquent and pliable back, her rich port de bras and her acting ability. Once seen she was not forgotten, despite lacking the advantages of a traditional ballerina’s body.
Not only was Samsova a great dancer but she was also a generous person, ever ready to help her colleagues and young dancers. She was loved and respected by those she worked with, and in the last three decades was in demand as a judge at international ballet competitions. It was through seeing talented young dancers in competitions that she brought, for example, the Czech Daria Klimentová and Spanish Tamara Rojo to Scottish Ballet, where in the 1990s she served as artistic director, launching their careers in Britain.
