Erica Rae Smith

About the Artist

Erica Rae Smith is the Founder and Artistic Director of Raediant Movement LLC. A Philadelphia native, she holds a BFA in Modern Dance from The University of the Arts. Her training spans traditional South African, Jamaican Dancehall, Caribbean Folk, Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Horton, and Umfundalai techniques. Erica has performed professionally with companies such as Mahogany Dance Theater, Tania Isaac Dance, Valerie Branch Dance Ensemble, and Lesole’s Dance Project. As a performer and choreographer, she has presented work both nationally and internationally, including in St. George’s, Grenada, and is a 2018 recipient of The Kennedy Center’s Local Dance Commissioning Project. In 2025, her work will premiere as part of the Dance Canvas Atlanta Choreographer Career Development Initiative. Fueled by a passion for grounded, polyrhythmic movement and cultural pride, Erica founded Raediant Movement in 2011 as a traveling workshop to advocate for the inclusion of Jamaican Dancehall and other African Diasporic dances. Since then, Raediant Movement has grown to feature a performing company, guest-led workshops, and community classes across the Philadelphia Tri-State and DC Metro areas. A lifelong student, Erica earned her M’Singha Wuti Licensed Teaching Certification in Umfundalai in 2022. As a teaching artist, she consults with area schools, providing dance education to K–12 students  

Artist's Statement

https://www.eraesmith.com/artiststatement