Malverne Dancer Makes Radio City, TV Debut

Malvernite Kristen Grace Smith is in the spotlight again.

After in Sacred Heart Academy's 2010 Nutcracker production and for sick kids last December, the high school senior is hitting the small screen.

Smith, an avid dancer who studies at Tap to Pointe in Malverne, will be featured in a documentary series chronicling the experiences of girls who participated in a Rockette’s program.

“If you have a dream of becoming a Rockette, it is a ‘step’ in the right direction,” says Smith.“The opportunity to dance on the world-famous Radio City Music Hall stage was incredible.”

Last summer, Smith was selected to participate in the New York City Rockette summer intensive, where she performed at Radio City Music Hall. She was chosen from hundreds of applicants who auditioned in several sites around the country including Radio City. Auditions and interviews held in January led Kristen to become one of the seven girls featured in the first night’s airing of the film, set for March 15 on MSG Varsity, starting at 7 p.m.

“It was exciting to learn from the Rockettes and I have a great appreciation for the many hours of preparation that go into perfecting their routines,” said Smith, a native of Malverne who graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes School.

According to MSG, the seven local girls who are featured in the first show include: Kaitlyn Bornkamp, Plainedge (LI); Fabiana Buontempo, St John Vianney (NJ); Eleni Gavalas, Manhasset (LI); Miriam Giorgadze, Matawan Regional (NJ); Lianna Hosein-Sarro, Bellport (LI); Aimee Lane, Allentown HS (NJ); and Kristen Smith, Sacred Heart Academy (LI).

Smith has taken more than 14 years of dance instruction, and has recently performed was the captain of Gold Kickline for SHA’s Red and Gold Competition and the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school's Nutcracker production. She is also in the process of choreographing the school’s Godspell production set for this month. She also served as the president of the SHA Dance Theatre.

For the second year, she has been accepted in the intensive summer program with the Joffrey Ballet and selected for the Joffrey's professional trainee program as well as intensives for the American Ballet Theatre and Alvin Ailey.

She will spend eight weeks this summer in New York City attending the various dance programs before leaving for college—she is still deciding which one that will be.