ASHLEY JOHNSON

COMPANY DANCER

she/her

A native of Chicago, Ashley began her dance training at Ballet Legere in River Forest  and the Chicago Multicultural Dance Center (CMDC). She earned her high school diploma at The Chicago High School for the Arts (Chiarts) where she continued to study dance. Ashley graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Dance and a minor in criminology from Webster University where she worked with artists such as Michael Uthoff, Maggi Dueker, Dawn Karlovsky, Betsy Brandt, Xi Zhao, and Beckah Reed. She has also been privileged to perform works by Ballet Hispanico, José Limón, Tara Webbe Filomena Cacciatore, Monica Newsam, and Gregory Dawson. While at Webster, Ashley also served as a company member with the K/P Project under the direction of Kameron Saunders and Prince Lyons. She presented her self -choreographed solo Resilience at the American College Dance Association Conference in 2022.

Recently, Ashley traveled to Accra, Ghana to study traditional West African dance and Noyam techniques. Ashley is currently a teaching artist with South Chicago Dance Theatre and a performing artist with The Rooted Space Company. Ashley is excited to return to Dance in the Parks for her first season as a company member after dancing as an apprentice last year.  

Photo by Michelle Reid