In 1972, she participated in a performance project led by Paxton in which they practiced various improvisation techniques, including rolling and falling, throwing and catching one another, identifying flows of energy in the body, and generally exploring contact in duets. The performances they showed at the John Weber Gallery in New York City were the first performances of contact improvisation. Paxton later praised Stark Smith's dance abilities: “She was athletic, she was responsive, she would take initiative… she was very daring.”
