Therrell Camille Smith
At 93 Therrell Camille Smith keeps everyone on their toes. She’s still teaching ballet in a school she established 60 plus years ago in her hometown of Washington D.C.
The second of five daughters Ms Smith began taking dance lessons at the age of 8. Her teacher was the wife of a Howard University physician. Therrell loved to dance. She studied at the Ballet Arts School at Carnegie Hall in
New York and in Paris though she knew in her heart there was no future for a woman of color in the dance world.
“You were really deprived of God’s gift, of what you could be doing, of developing who you are,” Therrell Smith said of growing up in the era of segregation. “You couldn’t develop because you had so many obstacles standing in your way.”
Therrell who has a bachelor’s degree in sociology began her long career as a dance instructor at a nursery school owned by one of her sisters. Smith’s father, a physician, later provided the building that would become the Therrell Smith School of Dance. Her first recital featured eight students. Enrollment grew. Among the thousands she’s taught over the years is Virginia Johnson who danced with the Dance Theater of Harlem and is the editor of “Pointe” magazine. Ms. Smith is also founder of the Thomas and Birdie C. Smith Arts Foundation, a foundation established to encourage youth to pursue a career in arts.
Therrell Camille Smith demonstrates the power of love and joy. As a woman, and as a woman of color, she has overcome many obstacles in order to pursue her passions and this pursuit has sustained and energized her. Ms. Smith is a model. She reminds us that we should be in touch with our hearts desires, to find ways to do what enriches our spirit and nourishes our life force. Let us all learn from Therrell Smith how to dance.
To read more inspirational stories about women buy my book Living in the Heartland: Three Extraordinary Women’s Stories on Amazon.com.
(Resource material for this post from Kendra Langdon Juskus and Melissa Block, NPR)
6 Comments
July 14, 2011 at 9:06 pm
What an inspiration. We can all only hope to be so active at age 93. How beautifully fit she is.
July 14, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Pamela,
As always, you find such inspirational women to discuss! This woman is amazing! Hope I can do half that much when I reach her age! She did have a lot of odds to overcome, but she has proven her courage and strength! We can learn so much from her story!
July 15, 2011 at 1:20 pm
So happy to have you comment here Maureen
Yes, Therrell’s energy and joie de vive at 93 is inspirational. It’s also remarkable how she relied on positive energy during the years when she was prevented from fulfilling her dreams. Unfortunately, many women, young and old, are still denied the opportunity to follow their dreams. We can only hope and collectively work together to change that, and in the interim hopefully anger or despair won’t rob these women of the hope that they will get the chance to fulfill their dreams.
July 15, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Thank you Lena for visiting this site and for leaving a comment. You are ALWAYS welcome here. Courage and strength, these are characteristics we women all share but all too often don’t recognize. I have no doubt you will keep dancing long into the future.
January 17, 2012 at 9:47 am
WOW!!! This is one Lady I admire… i began taking dance class with her at the tender age of 2 1/2 I was talking with my mom and Ms. Smith’s name came up so I decided to google her as I no longer live in DC. I cant believe at 93 she is still dancing…well yeah I can believe it. my dancing career is definitely a tribute to her as she taught me for 10 yrs and I am approaching the 40 yo mark and still love ballet to this day…I love you Ms. Smith!
January 18, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Thank you for sharing this very personal view of Ms Smith. It IS definitely an honor to hear from someone who still thinks of her teacher warmly, and who continues to follow in those footsteps. We don’t often realize how the little things we do have such long lasting impacts. While Ms Smith may not read your tribute, others WILL. This is not only a tribute to the woman, but to ALL women. Thank you.