In the Smoke was created for Cincinnati Ballet in 2023 during a period of personal transformation. The ballet explores heartbreak, loss, and the process of moving forward following the end of a long-term relationship. Drawing from the emotional landscape of the five stages of grief, the work uses movement as a means of reflection and release.

Non-narrative in form, In the Smoke reflects a turning point in which creation became a source of clarity and healing. The work stands as a meditation on impermanence, independence, and the power of art to guide renewal during moments of upheaval.