Press Kit
Ryan Johnson, named a virtuosic tapper by The Washington Post is a Baltimore, Maryland native that began dancing under the direction of his mother Vanessa Jackson Johnson at Turn Out Performing Arts Center. He continued to develop his passion for dance at Mary Slater s Dance Studio in Annapolis, Maryland. He is a well-known national and international performer that has been called purely amazing by Septime Weber, Artist Director of The Washington Ballet. At the age of twenty-five Johnson co-created SOLE Defined, an award-winning production that takes an exciting twist on theater and percussive dance by creating a free flowing conversation through movement and music. The Washington Post has noted Sole Defined as performing the coolest number of the night with its high-stepping and toe tapping blend of styles. Johnson's achievements include being cited for his choreography and solo dance performances, receiving a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council in 2008, being the 2010 award winner of the DC Metro Dance Awards: Outstanding Solo Performance, and being a finalist for the Emerging Artist Award. Johnson has performed in Cirque Du Soleil, STOMP, Step Afrika!, and The Washington Ballet's The Great Gatsby as a their resident tap dancer. He was also the lead choreographer for the 2010 Season Premier of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, in Baltimore, MD where he created a Step Extravaganza. He has premiered new works at the International Body Music Festival in Brazil, New York City Tap Festival: Tap International, and Cirque Du Soleil with The Nevada Ballet's "A Chorographers Showcase" in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review Journal wrote Urban Jungle: The Village, by Ryan Johnson of The Beatles LOVE, is a burst of pure feeling, the most infectious entry of the program. Ryan Johnson has performed on stages across the world including the United States, South Africa, Madagascar, Morocco, South America, Canada, and South East Asia. He is currently performing with The Beatles LOVE by Cirque Du Soleil, in Las Vegas, NV. As well as teaching and performing on his very own tour titled The RawArtistTour. BIO
Cajon Festival Lima, Peru IBMF Sau Pablo, Brazil DansEncore Quebec, Canada TDC Cairo, Egypt Ghaoua Festival, Morocco HIFA, The Republic of Zimbabwe US Embassy: Republic of Chile STOMP: NYC/ Tour of the America s Cirque Du Soleil: LOVE & Mosaic Step Afrika! The Washington Ballet The Kennedy Center Footwork National Tour Broadway on Broadway Broadway in Bryant Park La Nuit Metisse2 ATDF: Tap Internationals Broadway Dance Center American Tap Dance Foundation Gotta Dance Atlanta Seattle Theater Group The Rock Center for Dance Metropolitan Fine Arts Center Third Coast Rhythm Project Joy of Motion Dance Center Dance Place Center Stage Dance Studio Atlanta Dance Central International Teaching & Performing Performance Experience Master Classes & Workshops US Embassy: Republic of Ecuador US Embassy: Republic of Paraguay US Embassy: Republic of South Africa US Embassy: Luxemburg, Germany Madagascar Hamilton, Bermuda American College Dance Festival New York City Tap Festival Tapology Tap Festival DansEncore International Dance Festival Baltimore Symphony Pop Festival Concert ARTSCAPE 07-10 National Earth Day @ The National Mall Over 1,000 Colleges & Universities Dimensions Inc. Upper Merion Dance & Gymnastics Maria Verdeja School of the Arts Divine Dance Institute GoLo Dance Lab Nicole Gates Center of Performing Arts Telin School of Irish Dance Maryland State Council of Dance National High School Dance Festival US Embassy of Peru Over 500 Colleges & Universities Training Step Afrika!, Washington, DC LA Tap Festival, Los Angeles, CA Annapolis Dance Center, Annapolis, MD Faizon Dance Studio, New York, NY Mary Slater Dance Studio, Annapolis, MD Joy of Motion Dance Center, Washington, DC Steps on Broadway, New York, NY Broadway Dance Center, New York, NY New York City Tap Festival, New York, NY Choreographic Experience Extreme Makeover Home Edition Dance Unlimited Tapology Summer Intensive SOLE Defined Telin School of Irish Dance Step Afrika! Coppin State University Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble Community College of Baltimore County Morton Street Dance Center Step Ahead, Joy of Motion Dance Center Additional Skills Artistic Roller Skating African Drumming Body Percussion Non-Verbal Acting Carpentry Gumboot Dance Improvisation Production Management Tour & Artist Management Height: 5 6 Weight: 162 Hair: Black Eyes: Brown CURRICULUM VITAE
Virtuosic Tapper -The Washington Post- Urban Jungle: The Village, by Ryan Johnson of The Beatles Love, is a burst of pure feeling, the most infectious entry of the program. Alway visual and musically talented - The Washington Post- "...dynamic and energetic!" -Washington Life Magazine- -The Las Vegas Review Journal- "...The incredible muscular dancing acumen of Ryan Johnson whose solo tap dance number was as funny in its use of the audience as it was spectacularly well performed." -Don Hall, AWG- Energy, expertise, commitment, passion. You can't be that. -The Argonaut, Moascow, Idaho- He Dances Like an Old Soul -Diane Walker- Purely Amazing -Septime Webber- Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet Electrifying talent His use of rhythm and percussion on his body can completely paralyze you in amazement. - Jadine Rodriguez, Photography- - The Washington Post- Ryan was able to connect with students in a way that allowed them to learn something new... the spirt of dance was alive in the room! - Michele & Gregor Lee Center Stage Dance Studio- I thought I was watching Gregory Hines tap dancing in front of me. -Rose, Breaking the 4th Wall- A duet between tap dancer Ryan Johnson and modern dancer Michael Alford is a conversation of opposites: Johnson's muscular step dig deep into the stage; Alford's limbs Nloat away from his body like wings. - Kate Mattingly, The DC Theatre Scene- Press
Photo Credit: Toni Shaw
Photo Credit: Step Afrika!
Photo Credit: Steve McNicholas (STOMP)
Photo Credit: Cirque Du Soleil
Please visit and send all booking requests to www.rkjdance.com Ryan@RKJDance.com BOOK ing https://www.facebook.com/rawsoundtk https://twitter.com/rawartistryan http://www.youtube.com/rawsoundtk