ERIE, Pa. – Gannon University Athletic director Meghan Morphy has announced the addition of Jaden Johnson as the new Assistant Coach for Competitive Cheer & Dance.
Johnson joins Gannon following a rapidly ascending career as a dance instructor and choreographer, working extensively with competitive teams, youth dancers, and pre-professional performers. A native of Erie, Pa., Johnson has spent the past two years teaching at Erie Dance Theater, specializing in hip hop, ballet, and modern dance instruction while preparing dancers for performances and competitions. Prior to that, Johnson taught jazz and hip hop at Serendipity Dance Company, gaining experience mentoring dancers of all ages and skill levels.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from the California Institute of the Arts, one of the nation's premier performing arts institutions. Before CalArts, Johnson trained at Interlochen Arts Academy, where he earned the Fine Artists Award in both 2015 and 2016 and later received a New York City Dance Alliance Scholarship and an Intrigue Dance Competition Choreography Award for excellence in artistic direction and creative design.
"I'm incredibly excited to join the Gannon family," Johnson said. "This program has a strong tradition of excellence, and I'm looking forward to contributing new creative ideas, supporting our athletes, and helping them reach new competitive heights."
With a background spanning multiple cultural and contemporary styles, Johnson brings expertise in:
• Choreography and creative development
• Team leadership and collaborative coaching
• Performance preparation and technique refinement
• Hip hop, jazz, ballet, modern, and cultural dance forms
Johnson's performance portfolio includes work with acclaimed choreographers and brands, appearing in a Calvin Klein Spring Campaign promotional video and performing in productions such as Slow Show (directed by Dimitri Chamblas) and Monger at CalArts. Johnson has also choreographed several competitive pieces, including Everybody Mad (12-dancer hip hop ensemble), Rolling Stones (hip hop set), and Dangerous (jazz competitive group).
