This month, we're spotlighting women whose professional and personal contributions help shape our collective future — women who are making points we should all listen to. The people you will read about are remarkable, but this is not a contest or a ranking. Rather, we present women whose contributions, just like those of so many other people of all genders, warrant our attention. Listen up.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MARI MARTIN
The ‘new’ in New Ballet Ensemble’s name offers the first clue into the dance company’s contribution to Memphis. Founded by Katie Smythe in 2002, the company has expanded the definition of what (and who) ballet can encompass. The nonprofit’s flagship NutReMix performance has become a cultural holiday touchstone that both audience members and performers alike mark on their calendars. Performers from a diverse range of backgrounds have a chance to put their own spin on an adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, whether it’s dance, costume, or choreography. The award-winning spectacle epitomizes the vision Smythe had when she returned to Memphis in 1997 after teaching and performing professionally around the country.
“If you look at NutReMix, that’s essentially our program model,” says Smythe. “It’s a strong multicultural performance which teaches many different styles through preparation. You have flamenco training, hip-hop training, West African dance training. If someone sees something they’d like to change, or doesn’t feel like they’re represented, they can participate in the production from the ground up.”
“Locally, there’s a movement behind the empowerment of young Black arts leaders, and it’s terribly exciting,” says Smythe, “and I hope we can continue to be a part of that.” — Katie Smythe
Uplifting young artists and giving them a voice can be rare in the traditional arts world. “So many artists are subjugated to higher leadership, telling them ‘go there, do this, do that,’” says Smythe. New Ballet’s environment rejects that common ethos, allowing students and performers to have a say at every level, from the studio to the board room. Smythe frequently taps teenagers to become board members. Those students sit at the same table as executives from FedEx or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and are able to present concerns, questions, and ideas face-to-face.
That boost to young artists representative of Memphis’ population is primed to build their success in the dance studio and after. “Locally, there’s a movement behind the empowerment of young Black arts leaders, and it’s terribly exciting,” says Smythe, “and I hope we can continue to be a part of that.” Some New Ballet graduates can choose to participate in the apprenticeship program, which offers professional development for teaching dance. “It’s suitable for those who have a passion for teaching,” she says, “but it’s also a lifeline and a paycheck for an artist who wants to be a performer.”
Helping assemble the building blocks for a budding dance career is Smythe’s way of sharing the experiences she enjoyed as a child, where she received rigorous instruction from professionals and dancers hailing as far afield as London’s Royal Ballet school. “The dance scene here was strong back then, which might surprise some people,” she recalls. “But that’s from the perspective of someone who had a lot of privilege. Barring some rare exceptions, there was no opportunity for something similar for a child who lived on the margins.”
After a professional career that included dancing, acting, and television appearances, Smythe came back to Memphis and began formulating an idea to make dance accessible to anyone, no matter their background.
Approaching its official 20th anniversary in 2022, New Ballet is committed to strengthening its core values by taking ballet and dance to public schools and underserved youth in Memphis. Pre-pandemic, the organization went into six Shelby County Schools and two independent schools weekly to teach dance throughout the school year. The past few months have been about getting their programming back to that level in a safe manner. During the worst days of Covid-19, the nonprofit focused on virtual programming through Microsoft Teams. “It’s tough to build a relationship with young people like that,” says Smythe. “But it kept people dancing. For younger kids, we sent them recorded shows and then hosted Q&As, with the performers in full costume.”
Smythe also has plans to expand north of New Ballet’s activity in Orange Mound. There have been talks to expand their services into Kingsbury Elementary School, but those are on pause due to the pandemic. And with the addition of Marc Willis (former CEO of Soulsville and executive director of Stax Music Academy) as chief program officer, Smythe hopes to instill more robust leadership training throughout the organization’s programming.
But for now, Smythe and New Ballet will continue to spread their love of dance to all who may be interested. And with the 20th anniversary on the horizon, she hopes to see a large group of New Ballet alumni return for a knockout performance of NutRemix. “But before then, if you want to see what we’re all about,” laughs Smythe, “come see this year’s performance on November 20th and 21st!”
