Claude "CJ" Johnson
CLAUDE “CJ” JOHNSON (he/him) is a Chicago native and Brooklyn-based dancer, choreographer, and movement director whose work explores the human experience and dance as a catalyst for self-expression and social change. As a Black queer artist, Johnson believes in expanding the knowledge and understanding of his community’s vast experiences.
Johnson studied at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and SUNY Purchase College, where he was awarded the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship. He has performed works by Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Twyla Tharp, Mark Morris, Aszure Barton, Zoe|Juniper, Johannes Weiland, Kevin Wynn, and Princess Madoki, among others.
A 2021 Princess Grace Award nominee, Johnson is currently a guest dancer for companies and choreographers including Trisha Brown Dance Company, NVA & Guests, Rashaun + Silas, and Keerati Jinakunwiphat. His choreographic work has been developed through residencies at Baryshnikov Arts Center, The Joyce Theater, Motive Brooklyn, and the CUNY Dance Initiative. Johnson joined Kyle Abraham Dance Vanguard as a full-time dancer from 2017-2022 and continues to work as a guest artist.
