Artsopolis: All Arts. Online. Anytime.

• Tell-a-friend

Katie Smythe

Choreographer - Dancer

About the artist:

A native of Memphis, Ms. Smythe returned in 1997 after a 17-year career as a dancer and actor in Minneapolis, New York and Los Angeles where she performed in works varying from George Balanchine's Serenade to the ground breaking play, Tarantula, by Darrell Larson (based on the series of short stories by Bob Dylan). It was in Santa Monica during the development of Tarantula that she joined the Dorothy Chandler Music Center's outreach performing wing, taking Cinderella to communities all over Los Angeles and performing in L.A. schools. In 2001, recognizing the need for training throughout the city of Memphis, she founded The New Ballet Ensemble and School, a non-profit community school of the arts that grooms dancers from city, county, and private schools to a professional standard, regardless of the family?s ability to pay. Focusing on diversity, excellence and multi culturalism, the school seeks out youth with the talent, desire and drive to achieve at a high level. These students are asked to join the core after-school program at New Ballet, coming together with others from private schools who have traditionally had access to arts training. NBE has grown from 12 students in 2001 to its current 165 with many more youth enrolled in open community dance classes and at New Ballet partner schools such as Dunbar Elementary and Carver High. In 2006, Smythe opened the doors to a 14,500 sq. ft. facility in Cooper Young that is used by both the school and local arts and civic organizations. A professional company with diverse members who have trained in the school is found teaching and mentoring those students that follow in their footsteps all over the city of Memphis from Girls Inc. clubs to the Central Library and schools throughout the city and county. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Levitt Pavillion at the Overton Park Shell, the Board of Artistic Advisors to the Salvation Army Kroc Center, The City of Memphis Youth Guidance Commission and the Cooper Young Business Association. .

• At-a-
  Glance
• Upcoming
  Events
• Past
  Events
• Video &
  Images

• Contact Info

  Katie Smythe

  2157 York Avenue
  Memphis, TN 38104

  Phone: 901 726 9225

  Website

• Image Gallery

• Past Events

  06/13/08- 06/14/08	Springloaded
  08/10/08- 10/12/08	Ancestry and Innovation: African American Art from the American Folk Art Museum