Cheryl Banks-Smith is a performer, choreographer, teacher, mentor, improviser and interdisciplinary arts “explorer”. She is a former dancer and vocalist with renowned jazz innovator, Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Myth Science Arkestra. She appears with the Arkestra in feature films and in sound recordings. She danced for many years with Dianne McIntyre’s New York City-based modern dance company, Sounds in Motion. Cheryl has worked as an independent choreographer/performer, guest artist and teacher in the U.S.A. and abroad, touring extensively throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Africa. During the mid 1980s to the early 90s she resided in Italy and Germany as an independent dance artist, teacher and performer. Among her many collaborators, including musician/composers, poets, writers, visual artists and filmmakers, are Cecil Taylor, Joseph Jarman, Peter Kowald,  Douglas Ewart, Henry Grimes, James Newton, Jeanne Lee, Ran Blake, Joan La Barbara, Joelle Leandre, Irene Schweitzer, Vinny Golia,  Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Mwata Bowden and the Association of Creative Musicians, Ntozake Shange, Thulani Davis, Senga Nengudi, Ulrike Arnold and others.  Cheryl was a featured artist in Fire Within, choreographed by Sarah Swenson, at the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Los Angeles’ Vox Femina Women’s Choir.  Cheryl is a Professor of Dance at Pasadena City College.