Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Johnson Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

As a woman, I am currently experiencing an unexpected issue. That issue is the toll that it takes for a woman to have it all in a competitive field. When I first started this career at 17 years old, I always knew it would take hard work to stand out and succeed. I always knew I would have to keep up with how fast the dance industry quite literally “moves”. However, I never worried about once I became a mother how the career I built would be so delicate..

For 15 years, I have overcome injuries, self doubt, doubt from others, and personal sacrifice of relationships and family. Through it all I was able to balance and overcome. Although I intend to do so for many years going forward. I now have such a newfound pride to be a woman, to be a mother, and to be an artist all at the same time. To be able to pull it off is truly magic trick. I look around at other women in my industry who have done it for years in awe.

I never foresaw my body, which is my instrument for my craft, changing so much. The feeling is one I have never felt before and honestly more intense than when I had to come back from an ACL Repair. The mental load that a woman tacks on once she becomes a mother is so great that it seems impossible to sit down and create a work of art for her clients. Yet time and time again, women do it everyday. They don’t know how they pulled it off, yet they not only do, they knock it out of the park. I had the pleasure when I was 7 months pregnant of teaching at the 2022 Texas Dance Educators Convention. As I was teaching my fellow educators I saw a mother sitting in the back of the class with her baby on a blanket taking notes. I saw women of all ages still moving and grooving through aches, pains and self doubt. I saw artists, career women who some how make it all work. Those women inspire me, it’s not about just being the young cool kid on the block. It’s about wisdom and grace and most of all knowing where your priorities stand. Working through this has been such hard work but so rewarding. I hope one day there is a new mother in my field looking back at me in awe, as I do my peers.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Ashley is a Dance Educator and Choreographer located in Houston, TX that has been teaching and choreographing professionally for 17 years. She gained her Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts from McNeese State University; where she performed on Scholarship with the MSU Dance Team. She was a 2 year Professional Member of WYLDSTYL Dance Crew out of Soundbox Houston. While dancing with WYLDSTYL, Ashley and her Company gained the title of World of Dance Champions in 2014. In 2017 she competed internationally with WYLDSTYL at Dancers Paradise; taking 5th Place amongst dancers from all over the world. Since Joining WYLDSTYL she has performed works from choreographers such as: Andrew Nguyen, Cierra Lauren, Erin Peyrani, Aaron Medina, Holly Austin, Jaike Baldwin & Thy Nguyen.
She has performed in venues such as : Warehouse Live for World of Dance Houston, Cancun Dancers Paradise Plaza, New Orleans Superdome, LSU Tiger
Stadium, Televised NCAA Sporting Events, & “The Grand” Historic Opera House and Carnival Cruise Ships.
As a teacher and choreographer; Ashley has traveled from state to state serving competitive studios, dance teams and youth companies. She has been a faculty
member of the following companies: Crowd Pleasers Dance, Lake Area Ballet Theatre, Cathy Kurth Dance Academy, The PAC Dance Studio & Contempo Dance Center.
She was hired as the youngest Director and Choreographer serving in the National Indoor Football League in 2012. Ashley has Directed and Choreographed 2
Conceptual Videos featuring dancers across Houston.
Ashley Johnson served as a Head Director for Public High School Teams for 6
years, receiving multiple awards and accomplishments for Instruction and Choreography. She has been recognized as a TOP 50 Teacher across Public, Charter, and Private schools in Galveston County and is a 6 year member of TDEA. In 2020 she left Public School Directing and started her own freelance brand AJ CREATIVE
MOVEMENT. She continues to Teach, Consult and Choreograph across the states to serve dancers.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Just because people love their career and do not work for Corporate America doesn’t mean that this is play. This is real work, that needs real investments not favors. Respect your artists friends, they do not work for free. Also, do not underestimate the dance industry. There are careers to be had and money to be made, not everyone wants to be a doctor or lawyer.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Relationships and Experiences. Also how pieces of art can be timeless. Our society goes through a lot of trends with fashion, music, dance etc. To be able to create things that people enjoy through the tests of trends is rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ashleyjohnsonchore.wixsite.com/my-site
• Instagram: @ajcreativemovement
• Youtube: https://vimeo.com/ashleyejohnsondance
• Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ashleyejohnsondance

Image Credits
Natalie Donofrio Instagram @natalie.j.photography