Bianca Johnson (Director/Choreographer/Performer)  A native New Yorker, Ms. Johnson was invited in 1984 by former New York City Ballet principal dancer Jacques d’Amboise to join the Visually Impaired Program of National Dance Institute as a sighted guide. She joined the Celebration Team, NDI’s pre-professional performance troupe, performing at the Kennedy Center, Madison Square Garden, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Ms. Johnson attended LaGuardia High School and holds a BFA in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her professional performance career includes works by Pat Catterson, Mark Dendy, Igal Perry, Doug Varone, and Kara Tatelbaum, among others.

Ms. Johnson has taught dance at Lighthouse International for blind and visually impaired teenagers, Homes for the Homeless and the Fall for Dance Festival, and has led residencies and workshops for Arts in Action (NC), Celebrate the Beat (CO), ConArte (Mexico), Momentum (OH), NDI New Mexico (NM), and Prairie Dance Theater (OK). She has also created original works for organizations including LaGuardia High School, Youth Pride Chorus, House of the Roses, and The September Concert. Ms. Johnson has worked as an NDI Teaching Artist since 2001 and teaches over 600 children through its programs each week. Her choreography has been presented at the Apollo Theater, “The CBS Morning Show”, Symphony Space, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Kitchen and Jacob’s Pillow. Ms. Johnson directed NDI’s Event of the Year, Inner Visions: A Celebration of Stevie Wonder (2012) and Harlem Night Song (2017) , featuring over 200 children.

As Artistic Director and Choreographer, Ms. Johnson founded Bianca Johnson & Dancers (BJ&D) in 2012 as a dance company for artists of any age, gender, culture or body type to explore their creative spirit. Since the February 2013 premiere of BJ&D’s first evening work, THE WOODMAN PROJECT, BJ&D has been selected to participate in the Field Artist Residency Program, the Dumbo Dance Festival, and as an Artist in Residence with the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut. BJ&D presented BLEUE (2014) and THE SOUND OF HIS LIVING (2016), both at the Actors Fund Arts Center in New York City.