Jordan Samuels

Originally from New York, New York, Samuels began his dance training at the age of three, after his family moved to Columbia, South Carolina. He studied ballet, jazz and tap at various dance studios. At the age of twelve, he moved back New York, New York, to attend the summer program at School of American Ballet. It was during this time that he booked a role in his first Broadway show. With this move he also accepted a full scholarship to dance ballet at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre.

Samuels was one of the original ten finalists for the role of "Billy" in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot the Musical. He subsequently played the role of "Boo Hoo" in the Broadway production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas![2][3] For two years, Samuels appeared in the first national tour of Newsies the Musical, in the role of "Specs."[4][5][6]

Of his work on the show, a critic for the Chicago Tribune wrote: "But for me, this show was, is and ever more, will be all about Specs, the newsie with the glasses who's charged with the most spectacular dance tricks. If you got a Specs, you got a show and the spectacular Jordan Samuels delivers, even if his name is buried in the cast list. Stars don't sell 'Newsies'! Specs sells 'Newsies'!"[7]

In addition to his work on Broadway and national tours, Samuels has also toured Europe in a production of Romeo and Juliet and continues to teach dance,[8][9][10] having served on the dance faculty at The School at Steps on Broadway in New York City and the Baltimore School for the Arts in Baltimore, Maryland.[11]

He is currently in the ensemble of the Rafiki National Tour of Disney's Lion King. He is billed as the Acrobatic Trickster and the understudy for Ed.[12]

Samuels has won major dance awards. Among them, he was a ballet finalist at the Youth America Grand Prix, the international dance competition, in the Pre-Competitive Division.,[13][14]

• Jordan Samuels at the Internet Broadway Database