Chris Johnston

Overview

Chris Johnston began his dance training at the age of 11, studying International Style Ten Dance, Ballroom and Latin in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. At the same time, he was active in a number of other various sports including soccer, hockey, golf, and tennis. The path of his dance career started with a successful dance competition focus and expanded to recognized success in the business end of dancing and entertainment.

Chris's competitive achievements included winning the All Ireland Under-16 Latin Championships three times at the ages of 13, 14 & 15. He also won the All Ireland Amateur Latin Championships at age 16, distinguishing himself by being the youngest winner of this Championship.

With a new partner, he won the European Under 21 Amateur Latin Championships in 1982. In 1987, he won the United States Open Amateur Latin Championships and was a finalist in the Amateur Latin Division of the UK Open, International Championships, and European Championships in 1988 and 1989.

Chris was also a British Open Championships Finalist in 1989. He made DanceSport history that same year with his partner as the first British couple to sign a major commercial sponsorship deal in an agreement with British Aerospace.

From 1982 to 1992, Chris appeared on television's British Come Dancing series 22 times.

In 1992, with a new partner, Chris won the Finnish Amateur Latin Championship, after which he turned Professional.

In 1993, Mr. Johnston moved to Boston, Massachusetts to work for the Fred Astaire Dance Studios. He ended up acquiring the Boston franchise in 1994.

In 1997, Chris danced for the prestigious, New York City-based American Ballroom Theater Company, broadening his dance expertise by giving exhibition dances in the Ballroom theater style of exhibition dance.

Instructor and Pro-Am Dancer

Chris brings to his dancing and dance instruction a focus on athleticism, speed, and musicality, based both on his natural dance talent and on his years of dance training in the British DanceSport tradition, studying with such renowned dance coaches as Donnie Burns, Robert Richey, Margaret Redmond, and Walter Laird.

At the 1997 Ohio Star Ball Championships, America's biggest and most publicized Ballroom Championship, Chris trained and competed with three first-place winners in Pro-Am Latin.

In 2005, Mr. Johnston became the official Latin Dance coach for Harvard University of Boston, MA. In June of the same year, he and his student, Joan Goddard, won the Inaugural Blackpool Pro/Am Challenge in American Rhythm and International Style Latin. In August, they became the Inaugural World Pro/Am American Rhythm Champions and soon after, Pro/Am American Rhythm and Latin Champions at the Ohio Star Ball Championships in November.

Business

In 1998, SuperShag Productions was formed by Chris to expand the proven record of dance training, dance business management, and entertainment production to extend well beyond the established and highly successful franchised studio customer base.

World Renowned Adjudicator and Competition Organizer

Chris Johnston was named World Class Adjudicator by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) in 2003. He is also qualified to teach and to adjudicate Standard and Latin dance by the United Kingdom Alliance Ballroom Dance Society, and to teach and adjudicate American Smooth and Rhythm by the National Dance Council of America.

Currently, Chris is qualified as a National U.S. Judge, a World Class Judge, and a World Dance Council (WDC) Registered Adjudicator. Chris is the co-owner and co-organizer of the Caribbean DanceSport Classic and the DBDC - A Legendary Celebration.

Accomplishments

• Became the Pro/Am American Rhythm and Latin Champion at the Ohio Star Ball Championships with student Joan Goddard (2005)
• Became the Inaugural World Pro/Am American Rhythm Champion with student Joan Goddard (2005)
• Won the Inaugural Blackpool Pro/Am Challenge in American Rhythm and International Style Latin with student Joan Goddard (2005)
• Became the official Latin Dance coach for Harvard University of Boston, MA (2005)
• Trained and competed with three first-place winners in Pro-Am Latin at the Ohio Star Ball Championships (1997)
• Danced for the prestigious, New York City-based American Ballroom Theater Company (1997)
• Acquired the Boston franchise of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in 1994
• Finnish Amateur Latin Champion (1992)
• Appeared on television's British Come Dancing series 22 times (1982-1992)
• Made DanceSport history in 1989 with his partner as the first British couple to sign a major commercial sponsorship deal in an agreement with British Aerospace
• British Open Championships Finalist (1989)
• European Championships Amateur Latin Finalist (1988-1989)
• International Championships Amateur Latin Finalist (1988-1989)
• UK Open Amateur Latin Finalist (1988-1989)
• United States Open Amateur Latin Champion (1987)
• European Under 21 Amateur Latin Champion (1982)
• All Ireland Amateur Latin Champion
• 3-time All Ireland Under-16 Latin Champion

Instructors

• Donnie Burns
• Robert Richey
• Margaret Redmond
• Walter Laird

Entrepreneurship

• Caribbean DanceSport Classic, Co-Owner and Co-Organizer
• DBDC - A Legendary Celebration, Co-Owner and Co-Organizer
• SuperShag Productions, LLC & SuperShag Mega Dance Complex, Co-Owner/Founder
• United Kingdom Alliance, Certified Member
• Professional Competitor
• Certified - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• Certified Dance Instructor
• Member Degree - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• Choreographer
• Championship Licensed Adjudicator and National Judge for the National Dance Council of America specializing in:
• International Style Standard (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• International Style Latin (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• American Smooth (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• American Rhythm (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• Theatrical Style (Championship Certified) - Terpsichore Teachers of Dancing
• World Dance Council Adjudicator