Elizabeth Smith

Liz Smith, a Pittsburg, Kansas, native, has been deeply involved in the dance world from a young age. She trained competitively at Y Academy of Dance, specializing in ballet, musical theater, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary. In addition to her dance training, she was actively involved in dance team and theater throughout high school.

Liz attended Kansas State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with minors and certificates in Mass Communication and Dance. She was a member of the Contemporary Dance Ensemble and performed in university dance concerts every semester. During her senior year, she directed her first dance production, Who We Are: Who We Become. While in college, she also worked at Bates Dance Studio, where she taught ballet, tap, and jazz and directed a competitive dance team.

She worked as an instructor and event staff member for the Universal Dance Association (UDA) for three years, traveling nationwide to teach dance and staff dance team events. After college, she became the Dance Director at Y Academy of Dance, where she choreographed numerous award-winning competition routines. In 2020, Liz joined the faculty at Pittsburg State University as a Dance Minor instructor and later earned her Master’s in Health, Human Performance, and Recreation. She received first place at the PSU Graduate Research Symposium for her choreographic research.

Liz is currently the Head Coach for the PSU Dance Team and choreographs their National Jazz routines. She has also worked with high school dance teams and choreographed for various musical theater productions. She is a member of the American College Dance Association and regularly serves as a guest instructor at their regional conferences. She has a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and is continuing to direct dance performances at PSU. She is passionate about fostering strong individuals and communities through dance and looks forward to continuing her impact in the field.