From a recent video celebrating a milestone 50th Birthday, it has become quite clear that Ms. Camille is doing exactly what she is meant to do.  Celebrating over 40 years of dance, Camille Johnson began her dance training at Detroit’s Northwest School of Dance in 1977 and went on to train under Sheryl Sulick for tap and jazz and Jean Newell for ballet, in Livonia.  While a student at Cass Technical High School, she was a member of Cass' Dance Workshop and The Detroit Windsor Dance Company, where she was exposed to both Dunham and Horton modern techniques.  ​ During this time she also had the privilege to study with University of Michigan's Bill deYoung at Interlochen Arts. 

 

At Hampton University, she was one of two freshmen accepted into the Terpsichorean Dance Company with whom she performed and traveled for three years.  As a graduate student at Wayne State University, she furthered her studies in ballet with Samantha Shelton.  Camille received her B.A. in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts from Hampton University in 1993 and her Masters in Secondary English Education from Wayne State University in 2007.  She holds valid teaching certificates from Michigan and California. 

 

Camille has had many rich work experiences throughout her life.  Starting at 13, she began teaching Tap and Jazz to a group of students in her basement on Friday evenings.  The “studio” known in the Neighborhood as Camille & Company:  Dance Express, performed recitals in the back yard every summer.  During her college summer breaks Camille taught drama at the Detroit Council for the Arts Summer Youth Program, she directed the Detroit Recreation Department's "Teen's Time-n-Fashion" back to school show at Chene Park, and interned at WTVS Channel 56.  She has also worked as a volunteer dance instructor at Vista Maria, a residential treatment facility for girls in Dearborn Heights and Gesu School as the Pom Team Choreographer.    

 

Her work most notable work experience includes working for Meg Simon Casting in New York, where she was a casting assistant for numerous Broadway, Off Broadway, television, and film productions.  Camille began her professional teaching career in 1995 at the Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts and later taught in Southfield Public Schools at both Southfield-Lathrup High School and Levey Middle School.  

 

As a dancer Camille has performed with several local artists, the Detroit Pistons' dance team Automotion, and Hartford Memorial Baptist Church's Liturgical Dance Ministry.  Although she no longer performs regularly, she enjoys working out daily, taking yoga classes, and furthering her ballet training with Christina Kammuller.

 

As business owner and mother of two young men, Ms. Camille stays busy growing and learning.  She loves teaching and helping others.   As a seasoned educator, she sets the bar high for her students and staff.  Students not only learn to dance under her tutelage; she uses dance as a means to teach a myriad of educational and life-skills.