by Tim Froberg
FORMER DANCE PRO SHARES KNOWLEDGE WITH YOUTH
Maeghan Johnson has danced professionally across the globe.
Her dance background includes performances on three continents: Europe, Asia, and North America.
Johnson, though, doesn’t spend much time reflecting on her performing days as a ballet dancer.
She’s proud of what she accomplished on the stage, but the dancer-turned-teacher gets even more satisfaction when she sees a broad smile on a student who has just nailed a routine, completed an art project, or learned a new piece of music.
Johnson is the arts and humanities director for the YMCA of the Fox Cities and is deeply passionate about making the arts accessible to everyone. She oversees a wide range of programs for children through older adults, including dance, fine arts, and music. She, along with experienced instructors, teaches dance genres, such as ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, poms, hip-hop, lyrical, and contemporary, and coaches the Y’s competitive dance teams.
Beyond dance, Johnson coordinates Y classes in fiber arts, painting, drawing, sewing, and pottery, which is widely popular due to their two in-house kilns. She also oversees music lessons in piano, guitar, drums, and voice taught by professional, degreed musicians.
Her programs generate plenty of interest. The YMCA’s annual spring dance recital involves more than 600 dancers from the Appleton, Heart of the Valley, and Neenah-Menasha YMCAs and has grown so significantly that it is now held at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.
“Developing young people in dance is absolutely my passion,” said Johnson. “It’s so exciting to see them start as an absolute beginner in our 3-year-old classes and then develop. Many of our dancers are with us through their later high school years. To see their growth is absolutely inspiring.”
Johnson has worked for the YMCA of the Fox Cities for the past 23 years, including the last 11 in her present role after serving 12 years as its dance program coordinator. She brings energy, enthusiasm, and expert knowledge to her position and her various teaching and coaching roles.
“I love being a part of their lives,” said Johnson. “It’s really a privilege to be able to spend this time with them. It’s so much fun to dream forward with my dancers. Since I’ve been in their shoes, it’s easy to relate to them.”
Competitive dance has grown into a legitimate sport in recent years. It’s a structured, high-energy activity where dancers perform routines in various genres and receive scores and critiques from judges.
“We’re developing artists as athletes, and it’s really exciting to see their hard work being acknowledged,” Johnson said. “They’re not only learning choreography and going up against other teams, but they’re learning life skills as well.
“We’re teaching confidence, sportsmanship, and teamwork, and they’re developing friendships. I really believe we’re developing both mind and body in the sport of dance. I’m so proud of our Studio Y teams and their success.”
Seeing the World as a Dancer
Johnson’s distinguished dance background has made for an easy, enjoyable transition from performer to teacher-coach. She grew up in Beloit, won a national dance competition at the age of 13, and danced professionally from the ages of 14–24 with ballet companies such as the Rockford Dance Company, Milwaukee Ballet, and Oakland Ballet.
Johnson, who started as an apprentice and was a full-time salaried employee at 16, performed in China, Germany, Italy, France, the U.K., and across the United States. She danced in iconic shows such as Swan Lake, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Paquita, The Firebird, and Les Sylphides.
“It was incredibly exciting,” said Johnson. “I found I had a love for ballet production and the joy of performing character ballet roles. I was very focused and driven toward my goal and my passion. It was hard work, but I got to be a part of a wonderful group of dancers.
“I was working mostly with people who were in their 20s and low 30s, and I got to work with some world-renowned choreographers. I got to see the world and broaden my horizons. I mean, it was just an incredible experience.”
Johnson said that her most memorable performance was dancing the opening number at the 1994 International Arts Festival in Shanghai.
“Being surrounded by patrons of the arts from other countries and finding a global connection, that was a special memory,” she said. “I was quite young to be doing this, but I realized in that moment how very special it was and how privileged I was to be part of it.
“I was on a stage performing not only with dancers, but aerial artists, synchronized swimmers, and performers from arts of all different levels. It was just so exciting to be a part of it. I was fortunate enough to spend my 17th birthday in Shanghai.”
Johnson is grateful to her parents, William and Sandra Sullivan, for allowing her to pursue her passion for dance at such a young age. William, a physician, and Sandra, a homemaker, are retired and reside in Stevens Point.
“They’ve always had an appreciation for the arts,” said Johnson. “They had never danced themselves, but saw a drive in me they appreciated and wanted to cultivate it. I’m indebted to them for their support. They had the courage to let their child do that, and I really appreciated their support. They trusted the hands I was in and knew this had been a passion of mine for a long time.”
It took a mature young woman to be able to navigate the international landscape of professional ballet dancing at an age when most are simply trying to get through the traumas of high school. Johnson did that, too, graduating from Beloit High School like a regular student. She was able to do so through independent studies and simply attending Beloit High when she wasn’t touring.
“I like to joke that I’m more immature now than I was then,” said Johnson. “I watched others around me and observed their work ethic and determination. The whole experience helped me really find myself as an artist and helped me understand that I wanted a career connected to dance.”
An Early Desire to Dance
Johnson’s love of dance started shortly after she learned to walk. She began taking lessons at the age of three, after seeing her older sister, Melissa, take part in dance classes.
“My parents tried to get me involved with other sports like soccer and basketball,” Johnson said. “But I’d be on the soccer field or basketball court, working on my turns or other dance moves. My parents were like, “OK, dance is really her thing. We have to put Maeghan where she wants to be.”
Johnson became skilled in various genres of dance and eventually received a bachelor’s degree in dance from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She minored in arts administration.
“When I think of myself as a dancer, it’s kind of my former self because it was like 30 years ago,” said Johnson with a chuckle. “All my souvenirs and all that I collected from my past are like relics living in my parents’ basement.
“It’s fun to look back, but I identify now as a Y director, a mom, and a wife.”
Dealing With Life’s Obstacles
Ballet dancers need physical and mental toughness, and Johnson has plenty of both. She has overcome some challenging obstacles in life. Johnson has undergone seven kidney operations due to complications from two difficult pregnancies.
When her oldest son, Will, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 7, Johnson became an expert at diabetes management. She made sure that Will’s blood levels were monitored regularly and that meals were carefully planned to keep his levels from spiking.
Maeghan and her husband, Chad — a firefighter for the Appleton Fire Department — also faced family tragedy after both lost their only siblings. Melissa died of sepsis at 47 following liver transplant surgery, and Chad’s brother, Brian, passed from a rare form of cancer.
“Melissa was a very healthy, young, active woman, and we were so proud of her,” said Johnson. “She worked in hospice for Rock County and had a heart of service. She did a beautiful job of helping people, including my brother-in-law. She was an incredible soul. She inspired me in every way.”
“I’m fortunate because I have a wonderful husband and incredible children. They bring me great joy. But I don’t take life for granted.”
Will is now a grown adult who works as an ER nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital. Maeghan and Chad’s younger son, Connor, is working on a criminal justice degree at Fox Valley Technical College.
When she’s not teaching the wonders of dance, Johnson enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking, and experiencing the great outdoors.
“We’re a big Disney family,” said Maeghan. “We take one or two Disney trips a year. We’re hobbyists, too. We’re everything Lego.”
This article was originally published in the June 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
