Nancy Stark Smith (1952–May 1, 2020) was an American dancer and teacher who played a central role in the development and dissemination of Contact Improvisation, a form of partner dance that emphasizes shared weight, touch, momentum and continuous exchange. She was born in New York City and became known for both her performance collaborations and her long career as an educator and organizer.

Overview and practice

Contact Improvisation emerged in the 1970s around experiments in somatic awareness, physics of movement and nonverbal partnering. Stark Smith was among the earliest and most visible practitioners: she worked with figures such as Steve Paxton, Julyen Hamilton, Karen Nelson and Mike Vargas. Her teaching combined practical skills — rolling, falling, weight sharing, finding and yielding to centers of gravity — with attention to safety, communication and listening.

Contributions and projects

In 1975 Stark Smith co‑founded Contact Quarterly, an international journal devoted to improvisation, somatics, composition and related arts that created a sustained forum for writing, images and exchange across generations of movers. She also articulated and taught a sequencing of exercises and scores known broadly as the Underscore, a structured practice that supports longform improvisation and community research.

Influence and legacy

Stark Smith taught and performed widely, mentoring teachers and fostering inclusive communities where dancers of different backgrounds and abilities could explore improvisation. Her editorial and curatorial work helped document practices and debates within contemporary dance and somatic fields, making Contact Improvisation more accessible internationally.

Characteristics and distinctions

  • Emphasis on tactile dialogue: partners continuously negotiate weight, point of contact and momentum.
  • Integration of somatic awareness and physics, rather than predetermined choreography.
  • Community focus: practice-oriented events, jams and publications that sustain exchange.

Nancy Stark Smith died on May 1, 2020 in Florence, Massachusetts from ovarian cancer. Her work remains influential in contemporary dance education, improvisation practices and the international Contact community.