Bilal Shakur Smith

Carolina Ballet: Apprentice (2015-2016), Corps de Ballet (2016-present)

Bilal Smith – Carolina Ballet — Photo via Carolina Ballet

Baltimore, Maryland-native Bilal Shakur Smith was born ca. 1993 and discovered ballet by watching a production televised on PBS. After finding a brochure for Baltimore School for the Arts, Smith, who had never taken a dance class, auditioned for the school and was accepted, joining at age 14. Once he saw the advanced students in class, he knew “This is what I want to do with my life.” His teachers included Norma Pera, Anton Wilson, Debra Robinson, Samantha Ordaz, and Linda-Denise Fisher Harrell. He graduated in 2012.

Smith also attended Houston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (2009), Dance Theatre of Harlem (2013-2014), and Nashville Ballet on full scholarships. Before joining Carolina Ballet as an apprentice in 2015, he received a full scholarship to attend their summer intensive on a full scholarship. He was promoted to the corps de ballet in 2016 and has performed Messiah, George Balanchine’s Rubies and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto, and The Nutcracker.

Smith has danced as a guest artist with Ballet Chesapeake in their production of The Nutcracker in the role of the Snow King and played Luis in North Carolina Theatre’s 2019 production of West Side Story.

He was featured on the cover of Carolina Ballet’s 2019-2020 brochure and has also studied at Baltimore City Community College.