Celebration of Music - Talent Search

Candace Smith is a 16-year-old homeschooled junior whom resides in Johnson City, TN with her family. She has a passion for dance and intends on pursuing dance as her career. She trains in all styles of dance including ballet, pointe, lyrical, contemporary, jazz, tap, hip-hop, and tumbling. Candace enrolled in her first dance class at the age of three-years-old. At the age of six-years-old, Candace began dancing at Studio Dance in Johnson City, TN. By the age of eight-years-old, she was invited to join Studio Dance’s competition team, “The Fantastics”, and also performed her very first solo. Throughout the years, Candace has performed at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and New York City as well as performing as the half-time entertainment for The Harlem Globetrotters for many consecutive years and numerous area basketball games. Candace has been awarded numerous first place overall awards at many regional and national competitions over the years as well as received many Judge’s Choice Awards to include “Broadway Bound Award”, “Entertainment Achievement Award”, “Diva Entertainment Award”, “Sassy Award”, “Photogenic Award”, and “Best Costume Award”. When not training at her local dance studio, under the direction of Jo Ann Hodge, during the week or competing on the weekends, Candace can most likely be found traveling and attending dance conventions to further her dance training. Last dance season and this dance season alone, she has been the proud recipient of 12 different scholarships during auditions at various dance conventions and competitions and has been named as a “First Place Outstanding Performer” as well as being named “The Face” for The Dance Connection Dance Solo Competition where she will be touring, performing, and assisting in master classes. Candace was most recently named a “Shock Prodigy” and will be touring with “Shock the Intensive” as an assistant during the 2018 dance convention season. All of these scholarships will allow her the opportunity to continue her training and travel from NYC to LA all while doing what she loves…..DANCING!

Candace has been fortunate to have trained with industry professionals from “So You Think You Can Dance” such as her good friend, Moises Parra, all the way to former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Carisa Wilson, and Cheryl Cutlip, former captain of the legendary Radio City Rockettes. Other well-known dancers/choreographers with whom Candace has trained include Jim Nowakowski, Marissa Milele, Arielle Elonys, Audrey Case, Tovaris Wilson, Fik-Shun, JoJo Gomez, Twitch, Lane Napper, Anna Hudgins Perry, and many, many others. Candace has also been featured in a couple of music videos during her training at the Broadway Dance Center in NYC and Artists Simply Human in Nashville, TN. Candace’s most recent film work was as a dancer in Francesca Maria’s music video, The Bombay (Drooid Electron Remix).

While Candace has such a passion to dance and be on stage, she also has a passion to teach dance as well. She was given the opportunity to be an assistant instructor to the artistic director at her dance studio at the age of 10 and at the age of 15 she was given the opportunity to be a main dance instructor of a hip-hop class for 1st-3rd graders and continues to be a main instructor at Studio Dance this dance season. Candace loves teaching and being a positive role model in these young dancer’s lives!

Throughout Candace’s dance career at Studio Dance, she has participated in the bi-annual St. Jude’s Solo Recital, which raises funds for the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and donates 100% of the profits to this charity. This performance opportunity is such an honor for Candace and the entire Studio Dance family to be able to give back and shed a light of hope in these children’s lives. Candace attends Grace Fellowship Church in Johnson City, TN and one of her favorite events to volunteer with is “Joy Prom”, an event which GFC hosts for individuals with special needs and their families. Candace loves dancing the night away and making it a night to remember for all who are able to attend.

Candace is very passionate about the art of dance and is a very dedicated and determined hard-worker. She is looking forward to her future and seeing what God has in store for her as she pursues her career as a professional in the dance industry.

Please enjoy Candace’s performance as she showcases her dancing as well as her outgoing personality in “Hit Me with a Hot Note”. This dance is one of Candace’s favorite musical theatre solos. Candace loves any opportunity to dance on stage and would be honored if she were chosen to perform another one of her favorite solos in front of a live audience for The Celebration of Music talent competition. If you enjoy Candace’s performance and would like to see more of her dancing, please vote for her and be a part of her journey as she continues to live every day doing what she loves…..DANCING!