Alex Smith Jr. and the Thelma Hills Performing Arts Center: An Unexpected Journey Becomes His Destiny

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

In this episode of  “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey,  join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest: Alex Smith Jr.  Executive Chairman of Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center.  

Listen in as we sit down and talk about Alex's unexpected and fascinating journey that lead him to where he is today. A Visual Artist, Graphic Designer, Caretaker and Executive Chairman and a man with an open heart to where he is lead- we are celebrating this man and all he is doing in the community and for the performing arts!

THPAC's Black History Month FREE program Saturday, February 24, 4 p.m.  

Alex Smith Jr.  was born in Montgomery, AL. His parents, both veterans of the Montgomery bus boycott, migrated to Brooklyn, NY when he was 3 years old. He has resided in Brooklyn ever since that time. Smith is the Executive Chairman of Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC). This association began in 1988, when it’s then executive director, Melvin Davis hired Smith to assist in re-branding the image of THPAC. It turned into a long term business relationship with THPAC which continued until the untimely death of Melvin Davis in May of 1995. At this point Smith was asked by the THPAC board to consider becoming the executive director. He accepted the position along with choreographer Marshall Swiney, who became artistic director of THPAC. 

Under Smith’s continuing tenure at THPAC as Executive Chairman, over 300 artists have been presented in performance including: Ron Brown, Camille Brown, George Faison, Louis Johnson, Marlies  Yearby, Fred Benjamin, Urban Bush Women, Dance Theater of Harlem and Philadanco, among many others; seven new programming formats have been added; THPAC’s  Life Time Achievement Awards were established; new relationships with performance venues at Long Island University and the Actors Fund Arts Center were formed;  a development dept. for THPAC was established; new in-house works for THPAC entitled Audre Lorde In Motion, Ramp to Paradise and The Gospel According to THPAC were produced; the administrative staff and THPAC boards were restructured; the relocation of THPAC’s headquarters was accomplished.  Smith is spearheading the production of a documentary on THPAC’s 42 years on the dance scene as well as laying out a digital archival structure for THPAC in association with the NYPL at Lincoln Center. On October 18, 2016 Smith was the recipient of the Bessie Award for outstanding service to the field of dance. Smith is a Brooklyn College graduate with advance graphics design/photography studies from the School of  Visual Arts. He is a graphics designer and a visual fine artist.

Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC), the oldest presenting organization in Brooklyn, and Central Baptist Church of NYC will present its FREE Black History Month program on Saturday, February 24, 4 p.m. for the community celebrating Black contributions through music, dance and spoken word in observance with Black History Month. The performance features three bible-themed works by choreographer Walter Rutledge, featuring dancers Amina Konate and Tevin Johnson and narration by James Earl Jones.

THPAC and Central Baptist Church of NYC are committed to the remembrance of Black history and to uplifting of African Americans. By reaching back through this program, we can envision and grasp a healing future for our community and all of humanity. Audiences, the church congregation and larger community will experience a performance about faith, perseverance and the collective strength communities have when joined together.

Find out more https://www.thelmahill.org/

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“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."