Shannon Purpura received her dance training in Rochester, NY. In high school, she performed alongside RCB in notable roles that include Lead Spanish Hot Chocolate in The Nutcracker, Daniel Gwirtzman’s Encore, and George Balanchine’s Serenade. After training, Ms. Purpura attended the University of Arizona on scholarship where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance after just two and a half years. While at the University of Arizona, she performed River North Dance Chicago’s Evolution of a Dream, George Balanchine’s Rubies, Ernie Flatt’s Firebird, as well as many soloist roles in works by Michael Williams and James Clouser. Shannon also choreographed a solo that was selected to premier at the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre in 2014.

Following graduation, Ms. Purpura returned to Rochester to join the RCB, as a company member, in 2015. Since joining RCB, she has performed soloist roles such as “Dew Drop Fairy”, “English Toffee”, “Chinese Tea”, “Christmas Spirit”, “Harlequin,” “Russian Trepak”, and “Spanish Hot Chocolate” in The Nutcracker. Contemporary works include Jamey Leverett’s featured soloist in My Songs Plead Softly, Images, Katarzyna Skarpetowska’s Terminus, Salvatore Aiello’s The Waiting Room, and David Palmer’s Rite of Spring. She has also performed leading roles in Robert Gardner’s Carmen as Carmen, The Sleeping Beauty as Carabosse, David Palmer’s Under the Moonlight: A Tribute to David Bowie. 

In August 2023, Shannon and Megan Kamler were announced as the Artistic Directors of Rochester City Ballet. Ms. Purpura has choreographed numerous works for Rochester City Ballet including “Peter & the Wolf” which premiered with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in January 2024, and a reimagining of Maurice Ravel’s Boléro which premiered at RIT’s Panara Theatre in February 2025.

In April 2024, Shannon was commissioned by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra to create works for the Eclipse Spectacular: Symphonic Celebration performance at the Blue Cross Arena.