Elka Samuels Smith joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation about dance as family legacy, cultural language, and public responsibility.

The episode explores tap history, dance management, arts funding, and what it takes to rebuild dance ecosystems in local communities. For artists, educators, and presenters, it offers a practical view of how dance sustains itself: intergenerational mentorship, credible business support, and long-term advocacy.

Smith is a producer, manager, and dance advocate raised in a multigenerational dance family. She grew up at JoJo Smith Dance Factory, where movement was part of daily life and dance functioned as a shared language across generations.

A central theme is dance as more than performance. Smith describes it as cultural memory and communication, reinforced through family gatherings rooted in rhythm, music, and collaboration. The idea is simple: movement is innate, not niche.

The episode also highlights tap dance as both an artistic discipline and a business ecosystem. Smith emphasizes its technical and historical depth, while advocating for greater recognition alongside mainstream performance industries. She also points to connections between tap, step, and other percussive forms as an opportunity to expand audiences.

Her path into management came through necessity, supporting tap artist Jason Samuels Smith. What followed was a hands-on process of learning contracts, navigating industry standards, and building an artist-first approach grounded in trust and long-term sustainability.

Mentorship remains a key through-line. Smith describes how knowledge in tap is passed through direct relationships with elders, archival material, and lived experience, reinforcing the need for active preservation and institutional support.

The conversation also addresses how communities can rebuild dance access. Smith notes that talent and ideas already exist; the challenge is aligning resources, venues, and leadership to support growth.

For arts leaders and educators, this episode offers clear insights:

• Dance is core cultural infrastructure
• Strong management supports artistic longevity
• Percussive forms create crossover potential
• Funding must support entire ecosystems

Watch the full interview

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