Sarita Smith Childs

A classically trained dancer, choreographer, and educator with over 25 years of dance and fitness instruction experience , Sarita is also an entrepreneur and investment professional with 20 years of banking and investment sales experience from the institutional trading floor, private client groups, and

asset management divisions of  global institutions. 

Sarita continues to merge her creative and business analytic skills with her passion for arts advocacy and education.

 

Professional performance experiences span the genres of modern, jazz , ballet & contemporary dance.  As a choreographer, coach, master class instructor and répétiteur for

international choreographer Randy Duncan (www.duncandance.com),  she conducts guest residencies at the high school and university levels, for professional dance

companies, and private studios. 

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An avid supporter of the arts, she currently sits on the Advisory Board of Directors of Chicago Dancers United; Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts; Oak Park Area Arts Council in Illinois, as former Educational Outreach Coordinator and Vice President of the Board of Directors for

Thodos Dance Chicago, and a former board member and strategic plan committee lead for Ron DeJesus Dance.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Sarita has taught extensively at all levels ranging from Professional Company Classes, University

and H.S. Dance Departments , pre-professional dance studios, and dance conventions to beginning

level adults.

 

She is a former company class instructor for Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago; Thodos Dance Chicago;  Joel Hall Dancers; and the Momenta Performing Arts Company. 

 

She served on the faculty of the Dance Conservatory of Barat College of DePaul University;  Lou Conte Dance Studio (home of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago), Gus Giordano Dance Center; the Academy of Movement and Music; and was Director Dance Department and Dance Company of

Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago. 

 

She has taught multiple forms of group fitness and

Pilates at clubs in Chicago and Virginia including the East Bank Club of Chicago,  Norfolk Yacht & Country Club,

Inlet Fitness South and Loyola University Hospital Center for Fitness.

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Sarita is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Northern Illinois University in the School of Theatre and Dance,  a Part-time Instructor at Loyola University of Chicago Department of Fine and Performing arts, a guest company class instructor for Inaside Dance Chicago and guest faculty at Extensions Dance Center.

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STAGE & FILM CREDITS

Sarita's choreography has been seen on the fashion, commercial and concert stages with the following companies: Mario Tricoci hair productions;  Momenta; Joel Hall Dancers; Thodos Dance Chicago- New Dances; Cerqua Rivera Dance Theater; Joffrey Ballet Community Engagement; Visceral Dance Chicago; Grayscale; Dance in the Parks;

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Additional TV, theater and film credits include: Featured Choreographer and Performer in the

2006 Emmy Award Winning PBS Special,The Chicago Dance Project ; Choreographer, Congo Square Theater Company's, King of Coons, directed by Harry Lennix; and as a Principal Ballet Dancer / Stunt Artist for Paramount Pictures, Save the Last Dance.