60 Seconds with Miss Johnson, Teacher in Charge of Dance

I am the Teacher in Charge of Dance at Kent College where I teach across KS3, GCSE and BTEC Dance. Before moving into education, I worked as a professional dancer, performing as a choreographer and backup dancer for professional singers, alongside experience on West End tours and working in hotels and cruise ship lines. I particularly enjoyed collaborating with other artists as a choreographer and seeing creative visions come to life on stage and in music videos. When we were affected by the pandemic, I adapted my career by training to become a dance teacher within education. Prior to this, I worked as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant in primary education, which further developed my passion for supporting young people’s confidence, creativity and personal growth. I am passionate about developing students’ technical skills, creativity and resilience, while encouraging a safe community and love of learning through dance.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?

My favourite thing about teaching is seeing students grow in confidence and believe in themselves. Dance allows students to achieve highly while developing enquiring and creative minds. I love supporting students through challenges, helping them build resilience, and encouraging respect and collaboration within a supportive learning environment.

What top advice would you give to students studying your subject?

My top tips I would give to students are to be curious and committed. Ask yourself questions, take creative risks and trust the process. Progress in dance comes from enquiring and creative minds, resilience through challenges and respect for yourself and others when working together.

What are the department highlights and upcoming events?

Since joining the department in January, my highlight has to be our annual dance showcase. To witness the talent, dedication and teamwork both on stage and behind the scenes, the level of support, professionalism and creativity shown by students has been inspiring and I was very proud of each and every student who was involved. It truly reflects the strong sense of achievement and resilience we have built for dance here at Kent College.  Our upcoming events are an exciting programme ahead as we reach the summer term, such as a trip in June to see Nikita from Strictly Come Dancing on tour, giving students valuable insight into professional performance work. Some of our students will also be taking part in 'The Dance Championship' competition within the local area. Alongside this, we will be running a range of inspiring professional dance workshops with professional working dancers who are currently active within the performing arts industry in the next academic year. Further details about these opportunities will be shared soon.