Tara Smartnick is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico and graduated from the Public Academy for Performing Arts where she majored in dance and video editing.   She has been studying dance from the age of three and holds National titles in team dance, solo work, ballroom and  for her own choreography.   Tara has awards in the areas of contemporary, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, lyrical, pom, mambo, cha cha, rhumba, swing, salsa, tango, and bolero.   She earned 2^nd place and a college scholarship for her ballet solo at the Contest of Champions Nationals in Orlando, Florida in 2003.   After winning 1^st place in Junior American Rhythm at People’s Choice 2005 in Arizona, Tara and her partner were invited to join the Junior Olympic Ballroom team.   Later that year, Tara was one of 15 dancers chosen from around the US to participate in JJ Villar's, "The Road to Hollywood”, held in Los Angeles, California where she was able to study and perform many forms of dance all around Los Angeles.   She moved to San Antonio, Texas in 2006 and is currently studying media arts and multimedia technology at Northwest Vista College.   Tara dances professionally with several different companies in San Antonio where she is able to teach and perform all over the Southwest.