Chandler Johnson, a 23-year-old journalism major is a first year student who recently founded City Colleges first Majorette club.
Majorette is a form of dance that combines multiple different dance genres. Majorette dancers usually sit in the bleachers and want to spread good vibes by dancing and engaging with the fans.
Johnson has been dancing for almost his whole life, and wants to bring his passion and the culture of majorette to City College.
“The school doesn’t offer more urban styles[of dance], so it’s something that I wanted to bring to the school for those people who were looking for something a little outside of the box, but also to bring over that culture,” Johnson said.
Johnson started to dance professionally when he was 12-years-old, and drew his inspiration from his older cousin.
Johnson described sitting in his grandparents living room watching TV channels that displayed artists like Beyoncé, Aaliyah Haughton and Ciara Harris dancing and singing. Johnson and his older cousin used to admire these entertainers all day long, mimicking their dance moves from the television screen.
His cousin was a professional dancer that influenced him strongly.
“I just kind of looked up to her,” Johnson said. “She’s a dancer. I want to be a dancer. So when she would practice, I would also be practicing.”
He continued dancing over the years, learning various styles of dance through YouTube videos and dance classes with friends. In highschool he discovered his love for Majorette dancing after he tried out for his school’s team.
“I did not know that was something that existed on the West Coast,” Johnson said. “I knew it was something that was very southern and originated from HBCUs, but when I saw it over here, I was like, ‘oh, my God, it’s my chance,’”
Learning new dances and performing them in front of a crowd at football games allowed Johnson to feel more confident in his craft.
“It’s so much more than just dance,” Johnson said. “It’s about the way you see yourself. It’s almost like a reflection of your inner confidence.”
Majorette allowed Johnson to build confidence and a sense of artistry–two attributes he aims to introduce to students at City College through his club.
Johnson doesn’t just want to “bring over” the style of dance, but also the culture and history of majorette. He hopes to educate students and foster an appreciation for its role in black culture. His goal is to reach not only black individuals, but also open it up for all.
His biggest sources of help are City College dance professor Brooke Melton as well as the Umoja program. Melton is the majorette club advisor, and has helped Johnson spread word of his new club.
When Brooke isn’t available to supervise, the Umoja staff helps out.
“I think it’s also great to have Umoja kind of supervise the practices, because Majorette stems from black culture and black history, so the two really go hand in hand,” Johnson said.
Johnson singled out Umoja coordinator Lelia Richardson, as being a big source of support.
“She has been so amazing,” Johnson said. “I talk to her about the club every single day, and every single day, she gives me amazing advice.”
Before Johnson made his club official he wanted to get approval from a lot of the sports teams and dance instructors at City College to not step on anyone’s toes. He explained how everyone was really supportive and tried to educate themselves about majorette with a small exception.
According to Johnson he was given a little bit of pushback that made things harder for him in regard to starting the club, but with the support of Umoja and other support systems he was able to overcome this.
Johnson encourages City College students to join the Majorette Club and become educated on its history.
“It’s something that helps you grow as a person,” Johnson said. “You don’t even need a dancing background in order to join, you just have to be someone who is willing to learn. Dance is a challenge, but if you want to grow your confidence, who you are inside and what you showcase on the outside, it is nothing but a beautiful safe space.”
