Daughter of renowned jazz dance icons Sue Samuels & Jojo Smith, Elka spent her first years of life growing up at JoJo’s Dance Factory in New York City. Her passion for dance, music, and innovation comes from a long ancestral lineage of impactful leaders and change makers. Graduating with honors from Stonybrook and Teachers College Columbia University, she completed her masters while coaching volleyball and teaching in NY public schools.  Elka was first inspired to shift her focus towards arts administration in 1999 by her brother, now Emmy Award-winning choreographer Jason Samuels Smith. In 2002, she founded Divine Rhythm Productions, offering management, production and consulting services to Professional Tap Dancers, choreographers and performers worldwide. Since then, Elka has managed, consulted and serviced over 40 different artists/dance companies around the globe; contributed writing to dance blogs, Bessie award citations, grants, and publications; and produced workshops, festivals, music videos, films and performances.

With over 28 years of volunteer service experience, Elka is the first Chair of Committees for the premiere All-women Black-led Afro-Brazilian Percussion Ensemble Batalá New York, where she also founded the fundraising committee, and participates as a conductor and versatile performer. She sat on the advisory boards of Brooklyn Dance Festival and The Perlman Center for The Arts, and currently serves on the board of Mamadêlê Foundation.