Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Clayton-Reid.
Hi Janet, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started dance lessons as a child. As my interest and love for dance grew I began training seriously taking lessons five days a week and began teaching at 16. After graduating high school I began auditioning for professional jobs. I was honored to work as a dancer in theme parks, cruise ships, ballet, tap and modern companies, in review shows and musicals in Media and Valley Forge PA, Las Vegas, NV, Miami Beach, FL, Tokyo, Japan and a 36 city tour of Italy. I eventually co-owned my own dance studio in MI while still performing in MI. I presently am the Artistic Director of one of Michigan’s professional companies “MoreDances Contemporary Dance Company” that I choreograph and perform with and teach for five studios.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I was lucky to find my niche where I was marketable as a dancer soon after high school. Dancers have goals of the work they would love to do, but I wasalways grateful to be an employed dancer in a very competitive world. You have to be persistent to achieve, continue training and not give up early!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I presently direct and perform with my professional company. I am proud that over a 25 year span of being the director we have received many grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts to support projects. I was heavily trained in ballet and also jazz, tap and modern dance. I presently teach a lot of ballet to student competition teams. I am proud of my professional work as a dancer, and highlights were being in Jubilee! at Bally’s Grand Hotel in Las Vegas as a dancer and in the featured magic act “Carlton & Company”;I am also equally proud of my other international work touring Italy with renowned Italian star entertainers and in Tokyo, Japan.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My childhood teacher, Charmaine Schick, who instilled discipline and encouraged hard work to achieve goals and progress. My parents Margaret and Albert Clayton who allowed me to dance. My father very much encouraged my goals as he also was a serious athlete and unserstood the passion I had for dance.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: MoreDances Contemporary Dance Company in FB
