Kia S. Smith is a Chicago native and her early training included Hyde Park School of Dance, The Joel Hall Dance Center, ETA Creative Arts Foundation, StoryCatchers Theatre, and the American Dance Festival. She holds a BFA in Dance from Western Michigan University and an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she was an Advanced Opportunity Program Fellow.

She is the Founder and Director of Vision and Strategy for South Chicago Dance Theatre, the company’s Resident Choreographer and the founder of its signature programs the Emerging Artist Program, South Chicago Dance Festival, Choreographic Diplomacy™ Program, Education and Community Programs and Teen Workforce Development Initiatives. As a freelance choreographer, Kia’s recent and upcoming commissions include Madison Ballet (2021), Chicago Repertory Ballet (2022), Houston Contemporary Dance Company (2023), Chicago Opera Theater (2023), Ruth Page Civic Ballet Training Company (2022), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2023), Giordano Dance Chicago (2023), Western Michigan University (2023), Southeast Missouri State University (2024), Opera Laguna (2024), New Dance Partners (2024), Resilience Dance (2024), Columbia College Chicago (2024) and Scottish Ballet School (2025). Kia’s first evening length work Memoirs of Jazz in the Alley for South Chicago Dance Theatre premiered at the Auditorium Theater of Chicago in 2023 and See Chicago Dance affirmed “Smith’s first evening length piece ‘Memoirs’ is a tour de force and a sensory immersion into this artists creative well springs”. 

Kia is a member of the International Association of Blacks in Dance where she received the Joan Myers Brown Artist Development Fund scholarship in 2018. In 2021, she was a 3Arts Make A Wave awardee and an Ann & Weston Hicks Choreographic Fellow at the renowned Jacobs Pillow. She was a 2022 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist and a participant in the Artist in Residence ``AIR`` Program at the Cliff Dwellers Chicago. Kia was named a Rising Star in 2023 by Chicago Magazine, Player of the Moment in the category of Dance for New City Magazine's annual 50 Players List in 2023 and one of Dance Magazine’s 25 to Watch for 2024.