Physically Integrated Dance, Dance Nonprofit Management

Oakland, CA

Judith Smith, a founder and director emerita of AXIS Dance Company, is one of the world’s driving forces in physically integrated dance. Under her direction, AXIS commissioned more than 35 works from the nation’s best choreographers and composers, toured to over 100 cities, and appeared twice on FOX TV’S So You Think You Can Dance. Smith led the development of the most extensive integrated dance education/outreach programs in the field, serving all ages, abilities, and interests from recreation to the pursuit of a professional career. Smith is one of Theatre Bay Area’s 40 People That Have Changed the Face of Bay Area Theatre, and she received Dance/USA’s Honors Award in 2022. 

Growing up riding horses in the Colorado mountains, Smith never thought about dancing. “At age 17, I was in a car accident which drastically altered the course of my life,” she said. “I spent the next several years sitting very still, being an alien in my own body, and trying to figure out what in the world I was going to do with the remainder of my time on the planet.” Eventually, Smith met a woman named Gail Pacifica, who was very interested in dance and movement. They began doing movement improvisation on the floor for fun. “A whole new world began to open up for me as I learned for the first time since becoming disabled how much I really could move!”

This realization led to participation in a kajukenbo kung fu class, where Smith met Thais Mazur and was invited to join a group creating a dance piece. “Even though I knew nothing about dance, I agreed to join the project to create a dance piece based on the story of a young dancer who becomes disabled but begins to dance and perform again—in a wheelchair.” The group performed the piece at a local dance festival and received a standing ovation. Immediately, there were requests to create works for other performances and to teach classes. “From there it grew into AXIS Dance Company, which became my life’s work for 30+ years,” she said. AXIS achieved astounding success, guided by the mission to “change the face of dance and disability through artistry, engagement, and advocacy.”

In addition, Smith has done a great deal of disability advocacy work. Her efforts led to the first-ever National Convening on the Future of Physically Integrated Dance in the USA, followed by six regional town halls throughout the country in 2016 and a published report. 

With all of this great work padding her resume, Smith still credits AXIS as being her prime achievement. “The most important thing through this is that I know AXIS changes lives, open minds, and has radically expanded the definitions of dance and dancer,” she said.

When asked how the field could be made more accessible to people with disabilities, Smith stated, “Every field of the arts must strive to have every entry point to art available and accessible to disabled people from early childhood through post-secondary education and into professional careers.” 

Her advice to young artists? “Don’t give up, and find mentors who will support you and believe in you!”