Therrell C. Smith
Therrell C. Smith (November 5, 1917 – December 15, 2025) was an American ballet dancer and dance educator, best known for opening the Therrell C. Smith School of Dance in 1948.[1][2] The school served the Black dance community at a time when other dance schools were closed to Black students due to segregation. The school has operated in Washington, D.C. for over 70 years.[2]
Smith was honored with the Washington School of Ballet's Mary Day Award and recognized by the government of the District of Columbia.[3]
Early life and education
Smith was born and raised in Washington, D.C., and attended the Garnet-Patterson Junior High School and Dunbar High School.[4] Her father, T.C. Smith, was a physician.[5]
She began taking dance classes from Mabel Jones Freeman at 8 years old.[6]
After studying sociology at Fisk University, she pursued ballet for five years at the Ballet Arts school at Carnegie Hall in New York City and studied under Russian ballerina Mathilde Kschessinska in Paris.[7][2]
Career
Upon her return to Washington, D.C., Smith was turned away from all major dance companies due to racial segregation.[8][5] Soon after, she established the Therrell C. Smith School of Dance in Northeast D.C. with the goal of providing Black children with access to ballet education.[6]
Her students included Virginia Johnson, who later became prima ballerina and artistic director at Theatre of Harlem.[1]
Death
Smith died on December 15, 2025, at the age of 108.[9]
References
- ^ a b "1948 – Therrell C. Smith School of Dance is founded in Washington DC / Ruth Williams School of Dance is founded in NYC / Sydney King School of Dance is founded in Philadelphia, PA / Marion Cuyjet founds the Judimar School of Dance – MOBBallet.org". mobballet.org. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ a b c Traiger, Lisa (2017-11-27). "Meet the Trailblazing DC Dance Teacher Who Celebrated Her 100th Birthday With a Kick Line". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ "Raising the Barre Annual Spring Gala Raised Funds for TWB Arts and Education Programs - Washingtonian". 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
- ^ "Centenarians - Department of Aging and Community Living" (PDF).
- ^ a b ""The Segregation Was—What Should I Say? It Was Just So Unfair."". Washingtonian. 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ a b Milloy, Courtland (1998-06-17). "CELEBRATING ELEGANCE IN A CHAOTIC WORLD". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ Milloy, Courtland (2017-11-07). "For this centenarian, ballet has brought a lifetime of gifts and giving". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ Dvorak, Petula (2012-11-22). "At 95, Therrell Smith has an enduring passion and love for dance". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
- ^ "Therrell Smith". Legacy. Retrieved 2025-12-31.