Katherine Smith -
Executive/Artistic Director
Katherine Smith - a native Washingtonian, is a graduate from The Duke Ellington School of the Arts and received her B.F.A. from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts [currently the University of the Arts]. Ms. Smith has worked with renowned choreographers such as James Truitte, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Eleo Pomare, Ulysseus Dove, Milton Myers, Donald Byrd, Doug Varone, Kevin “Iega” Jeff and Faye Snow. Her concert experiences include Dayton Contemporary, Rod Rodgers, Forces of Nature, Gallman’s Newark, New World, D.C. Contemporary, and Juba Dance Company. Other dance experiences as Assistant to choreographer include Jacob’s Pillow, and American Dance Festival. She has toured Europe with Mike Malone’s “Black Nativity” and Africa in “Spirit”; Beijing, China in the First Pacific Cultural Exchange; Vienna, Austria for the 6th Annual Summer Dance Festival; and Seoul, Korea sponsored by American Dance Festival. A member of Actor’s Equity Association, Ms. Smith’s theater credits include Debbie Allen’s “Soul Possessed” at Kennedy Center (D.C. and Alliance Theater (Atlanta); George Faison’s “For Colored Girls” at American Place Theater in New York (Off Broadway) and Baltimore Center Stage; Mike Malone’s “Black Nativity” at the Kennedy Center in which she received the O’Keefer Award for Best Female Dancer in a Musical Production; “Bessie’s Blues” at Studio Theater (Helen Hayes Award); “Purlie” at the Fox Theater in Atlanta; and the National Tour of “The Wiz.” Katherine has been recognized as a performer, choreographer, and an instructor by receiving an Honors Award by the International Association of Blacks in Dance and is currently a board member. Katherine has extended her professional dance training with a commitment to aspiring youth through dance education in the direction of mentor, instructor, choreographer, and director in association with established pre-professional/professional performing companies and community outreach programs. Previously Katherine was Co-Artistic Director for Adrain Bolton & Katherine Smith Dance Center and D.C. Dance Explosion (re-uniting DC dancers). Also, she was Artistic Program Manager for BodyMoves as well as Artistic Director of two youth ensembles, BodyMoves Contemporary Dance Company. Ms. Smith has also served as guest choreographer and instructor for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (Dayton, Ohio 2021), Philadanco (Philadelphia, 2021-2022), Your Soul’s Movement (Denver); Hill Dance Academy, (Pittsburgh); Georgetown University, Black Movement Dance Theater and Howard University. She is currently the Executive and Artistic Director of Katherine Smith Contemporary Dance Ensemble and serves on the dance faculty of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Jones Haywood Dance School and The Washington Ballet (THEARC Campus).
THE ENSEMBLE
Katherine Smith Contemporary Dance Ensemble (KSCDE)
KSCDE is committed to representing a high-level standard of excellence and artistry, traditionally preparing ALL dancers of today in the dedication and discipline to become future professional dance artists.
Our artists possess a prevalent and unwavering passion for the professional world of dance. Under the guidance and direction of Artistic Director, Katherine Smith, dancers continue to develop their technical and performance skills with opportunities to perform throughout the greater Washington, DC Metropolitan area, participating in special community and seasonal events, as well as KSCDE’s own sponsored annual programs. Ensemble members will also have the opportunity to experience a few master classes, workshops, seminars and choreographers from various professional artists to further cultivate their artistic gift. Ensemble members present various styles of works created by the artistic director as well as local and national choreographers.
KSCDE is a multi-generational pre-performance dance ensemble with three objectives: (1) Fostering the pre-professional training of advanced level youth dancers; (2 challenging and furthering the development of technical and performance skills for dancers ranging from ages 10-18 with sincere aspiration and potential to develop into young advanced level dancers and (3) Providing a platform to adult performing artists who desire to enhance, maintain and sustain their craft and/or re-embark on their dance aspirations.