She Knows She Can Dance

By Cathy Li
Montgomery News

To speak to Ashley Johnson is to know her passion for dance. At the age of 24, the Collegeville resident and University of the Arts graduate already has 22 years of dancing experience and lists dancer for the Atlanta Hawks on her resume. Now, she has something to add to her list of accomplishments – a spot in the semifinals of the hit NBC show “So You Think You Can Dance.”

For those unacquainted with the show, “So You Think You Can Dance” is a competition show akin to that of “American Idol,” with which it shares a producer.

The show begins with the standard audition phase, during which a panel of three judges – comprising of producer and former dancer Nigel Lythgoe (a nicer version of Simon Cowell), ballroom dance champion Mary Murphy (a less zoned-out Paula) and a guest – travel to various cities in search of the next great dancer.

Thousands of amateur and not-so-amateur dancers turn up at auditions to fight for a spot in the semifinals held in Las Vegas, their efforts are sometimes good and always good television. This year, Johnson found herself as one of those thousands standing in line outside a studio in Memphis, Tenn., one of the six audition sites, on March 16.

As an admirer of the show, Johnson credits “So You Think You Can Dance” with “opening up a lot of people’s eyes to dance. People always say dance is such a light thing, but they don’t realize the work, the passion and the long hours that we put into it. And I feel that the show really kind of gives you a glimpse of that and lets you know that we’re athletes.”

Johnson had always wanted to audition, but because of school and various contractual obligations, “the timing was never right.” That is, until this year.

“I had a contract with Dance Theater X, which ended at the exact same time as the first audition and I thought, ‘Oh this is perfect, it’s meant to be,’” Johnson said. “My mom, she called me and said that the closest audition to us is Memphis … So I just decided to drive on down to Memphis and audition and got in by the grace of God.”

Johnson, who did not choreograph a piece before her audition because of her last-minute decision, had to improvise a contemporary dance in front of the judges.

Being in front of the judges was nerve-wracking for Johnson.

“I’ve always been the type of performer who liked a large crowd and I’m really kind of shy in front of small crowds, it’s kind of backwards,” she said. “But being in front of a panel of three judges, I could feel myself shaking, I was glad I didn’t have any boots on.”

Nigel, Mary and guest judge Lil’ C were not particularly impressed with her on-the-spot choreography, she said, but they liked her enough to send her to the choreography round, where the day’s “maybes” would learn a new choreography and perform it in front of the judges.

“We had a four-hour wait while they saw everyone else and they literally taught us the choreography in 15 minutes. Then we did it forever, back-to-back-to-back, just running the choreography, letting the judges see us.” Johnson said. “I felt like I really aced that.”

The judges must have thought so, too, because they gave her a ticket to Las Vegas to join 171 other dancers in the semifinals.

“I was really ecstatic,” Johnson said. “I didn’t expect to even make the cut. I was kind of crying a little bit because I was happy. I was really pleased with myself for even making it as far as Vegas.”

Johnson’s dancing career started early, very early. At the age of 2, she “saw “The Nutcracker” on PBS, “and I told my mom I really, really want to do this.” Johnson said. “She took me to class, registered me. I was like, ‘See you later,’ and the rest is history.

“Dance has always been something that I loved to do and I found out you can make money doing it and it brings me so much joy. If I can do something I love and get paid, then why not?”

Since her early ventures into dance, Johnson has spent all of her life developing her craft. She spent more than 10 years at Norma’s Academy and then switched to the more serious Ballethnic Dance Company, both in Atlanta, Ga. She then went on to be a dance major at a magnate high school before making the trek up north to attend the University of the Arts.

Professionally, she had danced with Dance Theater X, Philadanco’s Second Company D-2 and the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks before making the trip to Las Vegas for “So You Think You Can Dance” semifinals.

The semifinals, held at Planet Hollywood during the week of April 24, can be only defined as grueling.

Her competition was stiff. “Once you got to Vegas, everybody was great, honestly and truly. Everyone brings their A-game. There were great dancers all around, great performers, great technical style. Everybody’s pretty much even,” Johnson said. “I have such a great appreciation for everybody.”

The week in Vegas consisted of only two things – dancing and cuts. Johnson got to experience both.

“I actually got cut on the first day. They had us to solos first and they made cuts right after that,” said Johnson. In past seasons, the judges made cuts after seeing dancers do several rounds of different styles of choreography. “They tried something a little different this time around and it sucks because my biggest strength, I think personally, is choreography and being able to adapt to different people’s styles and, unfortunately, they didn’t get a chance to see that.”

Disappointed?

“I really was, because it was something I really wanted. I had a lot of my kids that wanted me to go really far. You can tell in your students that they really want you to succeed because they know that I’m a dancer just like they are.” Johnson admitted. “I really wanted to go back and tell them, ‘Hey, I’m on the show.’”

But Johnson is far from giving up. “It was a huge experience, I think it was the most learning experience I’ve had in my dance career,” she said. “I’ve had a few but that one was really eye-opening. Everything, everything about this experience made it all worthwhile and that’s the reason I’m in preparation now to go out again for season seven.”

For now, Johnson holds court as a lyrical, jazz and ballet teacher at the Dance Depot, a Collegeville dance studio owned by seasoned dance alums Susan and Michael Pinney, who had nothing but praise for Johnson.

“She’s a vibrant, wonderful young lady who the children adore,” Susan said. “She’s always got a smile on her face, has a great personality and we love having her around.”

“I’m very proud of Ashley,” Michael added. “We’re very fortunate to have her on our staff. Her knowledge and teaching ability have proven to be a big benefit.”

Johnson returns the affection. “It’s such a great studio; they’re such great people to work for. The kids are all respectable and to find that in this day and age is very hard.”

As for the future, John is currently a finalist for a spot as a dancer for the Philadelphia Sixers. And after that?

“I just want to dance, just dance until my hips give out.”

Update: Ashley made the new Sixers Dance Team.