Katie Smythe
A native Memphian, Smythe returned home after a 17-year career as a professional dancer and teaching artist in Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles. She founded New Ballet Ensemble and School in 2002 to use dance to bridge racial and economic barriers, while offering professional-level training. Since 2008, 100 percent of NBE graduates have attended college. Several graduates have successful professional dance careers, including renowned Charles “Lil Buck” Riley. Acclaimed by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, her eclectic work with New Ballet has drawn international attention. In 2014, New Ballet received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award at the White House for its work in Orange Mound, and Smythe was named the Tennessee Governor’s School of the Arts Teacher of the Year in 2019. College scholarship offers totaled $5.5 million for seven students in 2019.
