Carissa Smith began her training at America’s Ballet School in 2009. She grew up with a solid foundation in classical ballet and later learned contemporary and modern dance at ABS. During her time there, she participated in numerous classical and neo-classical productions and was a member of the ABS modern ensemble.

In the summer of 2022, Carissa attended the summer intensive program at the Dutch National Ballet Academy. Later that year, she joined Tampa City Ballet as a Trainee, participating in various productions such as "Candlelight," "Underline," and "One on One." Last summer, Carissa also took part in the Scapino Ballet Summer Intensive, and she is currently dancing with Tampa City Ballet.