"Be ye artists, parents, teachers or planters of trees for a new generation,we take our rightful place in the world."--Than Cayle
Biography of Ms. Linda Faye Johnson
dancesisterlinda@yahoo.com
International cultural worker, healer, educator, mentor, choreographer. She has studied traditional art forms throughout the world. Areas of specificity include contemporary, folklore, and traditional media arts such as history, song and dance of the African diaspora and the world.
Linda Johnson is recognized as one of the foremost exponents of traditional music and dance education in the Bay Area. For more than forty years she has directed and choreographed music and dance ensembles, attended international venues in South Africa, Senegal, Jamaica, Trinidad, Brazil, Canada and Europe.
She has inspired many with her creative/therapeutic movements. Linda imparts dance techniques to interpret the psycho-social reality in family and group expression by creating rituals of joy, sorrow, birth, marriage, death, religious and secular occasions. Ms. Johnson strives to create the communal atmosphere, the circle that's never to be broken, wherein each one teaches one, from the youngest to the oldest.
Linda has been a creative arts teacher/healer since 1981 in Bay Area schools, colleges, group homes, community centers, churches, jails or any place in need of help. She is dedicated to instilling a sense of cultural pride, determination, and inspiration them based on the spirit and love of God.
"Dance in the name of the Lord."--Ephesians
This living legend has performed with such acclaimed artists as the following:
Donald Lawrence (How Sweet the Sound)
Miles Davis (Atlanta, Georgia Festival)
Alice Walker (The Color Purple)
Maya Angelou (Stanford University Book Club)
Carlos Santana (MTV)
Amiri Baraka (Fillmore Jazz Heritage Center, SF)
Marvin X (Eastside Culture Center, Oakland)
Magic Johnson (Johnson Enterprises, Inc.)
Stevie Wonder (Anti Apartheid Tour, 1995-98)
John Lee Hooker (MTV)
Nelson & Winnie Mandela (Racism conference, Johannesburg University, SA)
Pharaoh Sanders (Yoshi's Oakland)
Oakland Raiders (halftime)
Edwin Hawkins Gospel seminars
Bishop Walter Hawkins (Love Alive Concerts)
Donald McClurking (Gospel Festival, Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, NY)
Rev.Daryle Coley (Houston, Texas)Richard Smallwood (Music and art seminar)
Tramaine Hawkins (concert)
INTERNATIONAL WORK AS CHOREOGRAPHER AND DANCER
Jamaica
University of West Indies
Reggae Sun Splash with Bob Marley, Judy Mowatt, Peter Tosh
Trinidad
Trinidad/Tobago International Dance Co.
Port of Spain (with student exchange, performed Middle Passage)
Katumba Drummer, San Fernando,
South Trinidad
Mexico
Mexicali & Imperial, Ca (with International Dance Company student exchange, Oakland youth, 2009)
Canada
Montreal
Coba International Dance Co., choreographer
South Africa
Johannesburg University
Traveled with 21 students to Racism Conference,
performed Middle Passage at Puhi University, Capetown
Senegal, West Africa
Parcelle Assaine, 1998-09
Performed parts of Middle Passage with low income youth from Oakland/Berkeley
National Dance Company De Senegal (Dakar) 1998-2010
BRAZIL, South America
Bahia/Rio de Janeiro 2007-08
Oladum Folklore Balle
International Ballet de' Brazil
Yemanja Festival
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY WORK 1981-2009
Oakland
Laney College Dance Dept., 1989-1994
Oakland Unified School District
Farwest Middle School, 2001-2007
Burt
Elmhurst
Highland
Havenscourt
Lafayette
West Oakland Middle School
African Children's Advance Learning Center
Ile Omode
Umoja House (alternative school), Linda Johnson founder/director
Berkeley
Berkeley Unified School District
Berkeley Technology Academy, 2007-2009
Richmond CA Kennedy High School,1998-99
Palo Alto CA
Stanford University (Summer camp, 1998-2000)
Castele High School, 1998-2000
Religious Community Work:
Liturgical (Praise) Dance
Allen Temple
Love Center
Center of Refuge
Center of Hope
East Bay Church of Religious Science
I'm so proud of my Aunt Linda, she means the world to me :) love Kema.
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