DIRECTOR OF DANCe

Sarah Marie Picard is an American dancer, choreographer, actress, and painter. Born in Phoenix, Arizona to a family of professional athletes including her mother and father who were LPGA and PGA tour players. Her great grandfather, Armand Picard from France who was a painter and her great grandmother Lucille, a singer, both immigrants who arrived from France to Canada to this day remain one of Sarah’s greatest inspirations and in many ways the reason for the “SMP Dance Company” being birthed. 

In her early years, Sarah Marie went on to excel in athletics following in her family’s footsteps, however at the same time she discovered dance.

Dancing for her felt like an entrentryway to unlimited possibilities of freedom, connection, imagination, creativity, and a deeper immersion of self expression; a space where her creative visions could take form. Sarah Marie often comments about how the greatest love story of her life thus far began when she chose dance and dance chose her.

What began with choreographed productions in her childhood living room which often were inspired by the likes of Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Lucille Ball morphed into attending daily dance classes at the Bender Performing Arts school. Sarah Marie passionately devoted herself to the study of dance and this did not go unnoticed. She was swiftly entered into one of the country’s most prestigious dance competitions in New York City and from there secured a scholarship to the famed LaGuardia High School where Ms Picard’s eyes were opened to the magic of theatre

It wasn’t long before she was receiving solo features across dancing, acting, singing and throughout various musical productions including “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” and a solo performance of “Cabaret” for which she received national acclaim.

Ms. Picard soon set her sights on the Tisch School For the Arts at NYU and just a short three years later her dream was birthed when she attended the school on scholarship for her talents, hard work, dedication, and achievements. Upon graduation, Sarah Marie’s professional dance career swiftly began when she was cast in Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance and ABC’s Once Upon a Time. 

In the following years, Ms. Picard continued her flourishing career as a professional dancer touring extensively internationally with various leading dance companies and directed choreographed performances at venues such as The Joyce Theatre and Peridance. Together with this she was regularly featured as a guest choreographer at world renowned dance institutions such as STEPS and the Broadway Dance Center, New York. 

Now combining her deep well of experience as a performer, educator, and artistic director, Sarah Marie Picard is cultivating a global creative community through SMP Dance Company.

Currently offering the signature workshop Acting for Dancers, SMP is committed to emotionally intelligent training and the evolution of performance art. From renowned professionals to emerging dancers, artists are invited to dive into full-spectrum creative exploration—connecting movement with presence, story, and self.

The company has offered workshops across the U.S. and internationally, and is actively developing original repertory and collaborative work for future touring and performance at major festivals.

Ms. Picard resides in Southern California and when she’s not dancing, she can be found with her beautiful pup, Auggie, recording her new 6 song EP album, in her photography studio, at the beach, or working on her next children’s book.