Biography

Christa Smutek is Artistic Director of Artistic Edge Dance Centre, Director of in-studio intensive, The Collective Movement, and Founder of project based dance company, Smutek Dance. She studied at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and received her B.S. in Movement Science from the School of Kinesiology graduating with distinction and University Honors. Christa has performed professionally with companies including ArtLab J Dance, SueMo Dance Company, and Danceworks Performance Company MKE.

In addition to dancing, Christa has been teaching and choreographing for 15 years. Her contemporary choreography has been showcased at World of Dance Chicago, Spring to Dance St. Louis, Indiana Dance Festival, Columbus Arts Festival, Milwaukee Fringe Festival, RADfest Midwest, Dance Canvas in Atlanta, Brighton Dance Festival, Motor City Choreographer’s Collective, Detroit Dance City Festival, and the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. Her piece, Architect of the Mind, was the winner of Milwaukee’s “Dance MKE” competition in 2017. Her choreography was a finalist in the American Choreographic Festival 2018. She was the Associate Artistic Director and resident choreographer of SueMo Dance Company in Milwaukee for 5 seasons. She has received numerous choreography awards and IDA nominations for her competitive choreography. Christa has also taught master classes and set guest work in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Colorado, Missouri, Georgia, New Jersey, Canada, and the Virgin Islands.

In 2016 she established herself as Christa Smutek LLC and continues to showcase her professional choreography through Smutek Dance Project. Smutek Dance has performed at Dumbo Dance Festival 2023, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble NewDanceFest 2019, Detroit Dance City Festival 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 White Wave SoloDuo Festival 2021, 2022, 2023 and CDCFest 2021, 2022 in Orlando, FL. She was the Best Choreography winner of the DDCF Detroit Exchange Program 2021 and invited to present work in DDCF Dance & Celebration Showcase. Smutek Dance placed 4th at World of Dance Chicago 2019. Her dance film, Unchained (2020), was selected for Opine Dance Film Festival in Pennsylvania, and was awarded Newbie Film Favorite. Her other dance film, Sandcastles (2020), was selected for Screen Dance International 2021 and finalist in Dancentric Film Festival 2021. Most recently, Christa was one of eight choreographers selected for the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreographic Fellowship at Jacob’s Pillow under the direction of Risa Steinberg and Dianne McIntyre. She continues her freelance work throughout the country and is the proud mother of Eli Antony, born January 27, 2018.

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