Dream Weavers

Working in the Wings

Performance is second nature to Disney's Tami Drury-Smith.
by Mac Randall

Growing up in central Florida, Tami Drury-Smith felt the pull of Disney early on. For her very  rst job, she sold merchandise on Main Street, U.S.A. Less than a year later, she was using her skills as a dancer in America on Parade, Walt Disney World celebration of the 1976 U.S. bicentennial. As an Epcot World Dancer, she performed at the 1986 opening of Captain EO and met that movie's star, Michael Jackson. In the decades since, she has overseen a broad spectrum of activities at the resort, from choreography and event production to the Disney Magic Music Days program.

This is all a long way of saying that Drury-Smith knows Disney inside and out. She also knows what it takes to be a performer, and that experience helps her immensely in her current role managing Walt Disney World Performing Arts and Education Programs.

"I'm very comfortable in this world," she says, "and my clients get a sense of comfort too because they realize that I understand what it's like for them. When I was in my twenties, I made my living as a professional dancer. Before that, I was a drum majorette and I played clarinet and bassoon in my school band. So I know exactly how important being in a competition or a performance is to kids. I know how hard they've worked to get there. And I know all about the commitment, the loyalty, and the camaraderie that you develop within a performing group."

As Disney Magic Music Days grew into Disney Performing Arts, Drury-Smith took the lead in expanding its reach. "When I started in this program," she remembers, "it was only for instrumental and vocal groups. It didn't resonate with our visiting dance and theatre groups." She has also assisted in developing new educational workshops. Creating Disney's Broadway Magic in collaboration with the New York-based Disney on Broadway team was a special treat: "I actually learned the Mary Poppins choreography myself and helped teach it to our resident directors. Because of my background, I'd have to say that was probably the highlight of my career at Disney so far."

Drury-Smith is in charge of production and technical support for Walt Disney World music and dance festivals and other events; she also oversees the Disney Youth Education Series (see page 28). Her days are typically full of meetings and shuttling from one location to another. "On a day when everything's happening," she says, "I don't even make it into my of ce. But although I'm often out in the  eld, most people wouldn't recognize me as anyone other than the person who opens the gate for their band. I'm just glad to do whatever needs to be done that day."

Tami Drury-Smith, Dream Weaver

Grew up in: Winter Park, Florida

Education: University of Central Florida

At Disneyland since: 1974

Disney Roles: Performer, staging specialist, guest talent coordinator, stage manager, production manager

Current title: Manager of Programming, Performing Arts and Education Programs