Tyler Stauffer photo: Mercyhurst College senior Lindsey Smith is featured in this week’s Merciad Dancer Profile.Lindsey Smith is a senior dance major with a double minor in hotel management and religious studies. She combines her many interests in academics, liturgical dance and activism with the wealth of activities in which she engages.

Smith was accepted as a transfer from Northern Virginia Community College where she took college courses during high school. She came to Mercyhurst because the school offered both dance and hotel management majors.

“I had been planning all along to study both of these, so it was a perfect fit,” she said.

The religious studies minor was not part of her original plan but she added it to her degree plan when she took religion courses and really enjoyed them.

“It is interesting to learn about religions from an academic standpoint,” said Smith.

Smith is vice president of the Liturgical Dance Ensemble, and she often choreographs for the troupe. Most recently, her choreography was performed by the Liturgical dancers at the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

“I love Liturgical. It was exciting to me to find liturgical dance at Mercyhurst. I love dance and I love God, and so this is the perfect way to blend the two together,” said Smith.

Smith will soon be traveling with the Liturgical dancers to perform in Sydney, Australia, at the Project Dance festival, a conference where dancers gather to perform, audition and use their dance-related talents and gifts to praise God.

“I am so excited to go!” said Smith. “I have wanted to go to Australia since I was a little kid.”

Smtih also has experience choreographing the Mercyhurst dancers.

“I really enjoy the whole process of choreographing – learning to put phrases together, the excitement of rehearsals. I really like working with the dancers. I feel like choreographing allows you to take what’s inside and bring it out in a very real, tangible way,” said Smith.

An extremely involved student, Smith also initiated the creation of Project Abolition, one of Mercyhurst’s Recognized Student Clubs and Organizations (RSCO). The group raises awareness about modern slavery through informational meetings, showing documentaries and other activities.

“At least if people are aware, they can do something about it,” said Smith.

As part of Project Abolition, Smith is working on an arts collaboration and benefit concert that will deal with the slavery issue.

Smith is also an active member of Nu Delta Alpha (NDA), a Dance Honor Society. Her article, titled “Dance and Religion: the Christian Perspective,” was published in the NDA journal, and won her the Student Literary Award.

Smith has also been invited by NDA to write a book about liturgical dance for publication and presentation at an NDA conference.

Upon graduating from Mercyhurst, Smith hopes to find a job performing with a Christian-based dance company. Eventually, she also wants to use her hotel management degree use as the owner of a bed and breakfast. Smith hopes to teach dance and to continue choreographing.