Amber Johnson is a Performer with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre, Tour Coordinator Assistant, Studio Dance Teacher, and Middle School Dance Teacher/Department Chair of Electives at Deland Middle School in Deland, Florida.

From Amber:

At the middle school, I love introducing students to the arts. I love watching them have fun, be creative and challenged, make connections, and build real life skills without even realizing it. I love their excitement at the performances because it's the first time most of them have done something like that. I love that I often see a completely different side of a "troubled" kid, and knowing my class keeps them coming to school…

At the studios I love: the advanced classes, that we share a passion, the choreography aspect, knowing what a huge impact dance had on my life and sharing that with them, watching them grow in their technique, and having a dance family. I feel like I've helped raise smart, creative, disciplined respectful, dedicated young people. 

7:40-8:25am: I talk to my mom and husband briefly and then listen to NPR while I drive to work. Arrive at work by 8:25. Teacher planning time is provided until 8:56. I get ready for my students, set up my classroom, put in grades, check emails, etc.

8:56-3:48am: Teach middle school dance. There are 6 classes, 50 minutes each, with a 30 minute lunch and a 40 minute planning time. I teach 3 Dance One classes, 2 Dance Two classes and one Advanced Dance. Classes are set up by level (most students have no prior dance training) and movements taught are appropriate to each class with the aim of progressing them through the levels. I separate the year by units, each lasting four weeks, in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Hip Hop. I also teach a 2 week Acro unit, put on 2 full length performances, and give choreography and dance history assignments.

3:48-4:15pm: Respond to emails, put in some more grades, set up opportunities for Advanced Dance to perform around Volusia County, and square up with the bookkeeper for money collected for a field trip to dance at a local college.

4:15-4:50pm: Drive home listening to NPR. 

4:50pm: Arrive home and play with my dogs in the backyard. Relax for a minute to decompress from the day on my couch.

5:26-7:30pm: Feed my 2 dogs then food prep for the week and pack a lunch for Tuesday, as it's a 14 hour day and I don't want to starve! I pick a lot while food prepping and that is basically my dinner.

7:30-8:10pm: Quick workout at home.

8:10-8:23pm: Pack a bag and spare clothes for my long day tomorrow.

8:25pm: Talk to my husband because he’s working out of town, shower, get ready for bed, and relax with detox tea while watching tv.

10:30pm: Bedtime.
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Tuesday

6:30am: Alarm rings, get out of bed by 6:38, feed my dogs, eat a banana and a protein muffin, get ready for the day.

7:20-8:05am: Drive to work, talk to my husband, and listen to NPR.

8:05-8:30am: Prepare my classroom for the day. Talk with the Principal about an upcoming lesson plan I want to create for the students.

8:30-8:56am: Attend a parent conference.

8:56am-3:48pm: Teach middle school dance; schedule is the same as Monday. After school I get a few things ready for tomorrow and leave by 4pm.

4:00-4:35pm: Drive from job one to job two while eating on the way.

4:45-8:15pm: Teach dance for an after school studio (Freed Performing Arts in Ormond Beach). I teach a Beginning Modern class, Advanced Ballet class, Adult Ballet class, and a Stretches, Leaps, and Turns class.

8:15-8:30pm: Talk with studio owner about choreography for our next show.

8:30-9:05pm: Drive home listening to NPR.

9:05-9:30pm: Pick up around my house, feed and pet my dogs, wash up and get in comfy clothes to prepare for bed.

9:30-10:10pm: Talk to my husband on the phone while packing a lunch and my bag for another long day tomorrow. Eat some spaghetti squash for dinner.

10:10pm: Sit on the couch, watch “Big Bang Theory” (it's hilarious) while snuggling my puppies, relax, unwind from the day and drink a glass of kombucha.

10:50pm: Brush teeth and climb in bed.

Wednesday

7:00am: Alarm rings, get out of bed at 7:15, morning routine, leave at 7:45, eat a banana on the drive, and listen to NPR.

8:25-8:56am: Teacher planning time.

8:56am-2:48pm: Teach middle school dance, schedule is the same as above, but classes are shortened by about 10 minutes so that we get out an hour early to go to workshops for professional development. I put in a few grades after school and head to the workshop, eat in the car on the way, and arrive by 3:25.

3:30-5:15pm: Take a professional development dance class on Urban Dance (it’s really fun but I am a horrible Hip Hop dancer lol!).

5:15pm: Leave to head to my second job teaching at another after school studio (Center Stage Performing Arts in New Smyrna Beach). I swing in Target on the way to pick up some protein powder.

6:20-8:30pm: Teach a Conditioning class and an Intermediate Ballet class. I count the conditioning class as my workout for the day. Normally I teach 2 more classes (an Advanced Ballet and an Immediate Lyrical), however, on this Wednesday my 1st two classes had a sub due to my professional development meeting.

8:30pm: Drive home, pull into the driveway at 9:00pm.

9:05-10:10pm: Feed and play with my dogs then pack lunch for tomorrow while I eat some quinoa for dinner.

10:10pm: Wash up, sit down on the couch with some detox tea to relax.

11:00pm: Brush teeth and get into bed.

Thursday

7:00am: Alarm rings, get up and enjoy a short bath, feed my dogs, morning routine and head out by 7:45 to drive to work.

8:20am-3:48pm: Teacher planning time, lunch and teach middle school dance, same schedule as Monday.

3:48-5:30pm: Stay after school to help judge auditions for a school talent show. Leave at 5:30ish and drive home, arrive around 6pm.

6:00pm-12:00 am: Pick up around the house, walk my dogs, take a bath, wash the dogs, do a short workout while I watch "The Bachelor" with a friend, eat, pack lunch for tomorrow and relax.

Midnight: Finally get into bed….couldn't wind down tonight. 

Friday

7:20am: Roll out of bed late then fly through the house in a high-speed morning routine.

7:50-8:35am: Drive to work while talking to my husband.

8:35am-3:48pm: Teach middle school dance, put in grades, work on my pre-observation forms.

3:50pm: Head out, stop at Verizon to exchange a tablet, arrive home at 5pm.

5:00-6:45pm: Do dishes, feed and play with my pups, do a super quick workout, then throw on some jeans to head to a dinner meeting.

7:15-10:00pm: Meet with Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre Director and another senior dancer in the company to discuss the upcoming season over dinner.

10:30pm: Arrive home, wash up, relax, journal, and watch tv. I fall asleep on the couch sometime around 11:30 with all of the lights on (must have been tired)! I wake up sometime around 2 and move to my bed.

Saturday

A rare and glorious whole Saturday off. Usually Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for rehearsals with the modern dance company I perform with (Surfscape Contemporary Dance Theatre), but we recently had a performance and are taking a few weeks off before we start up again for our next concert in April. I was planning to sleep in and was super excited about it but, unfortunately, was woken up at 7:00am by my dogs chasing some sort of animal in the backyard. I resisted getting out of bed, laying in the dark and doing some meditation until around 9, but finally decided I wasn't falling back asleep, gave in, got up, made a smoothie bowl for breakfast and did a workout.

10:00am-4:30pm: Be lazy around my house, clean, play with my dogs, do some yoga, try to take a nap (unsuccessfully), finally shower, and put on real clothes around 4:30.

4:30-6:30pm: Drive up to Jacksonville for the night to see my husband, where he is working out of town. We go to dinner and spend a little time together then go to bed early since he gets up at 4:30am. It’s good to see my love.

Sunday

8:30am-10:30am: Wake up, brush my teeth, throw on some clothes and drive back home from Jacksonville.

10:30-11:30am: Feed and walk the dogs, do a meditation and be thankful, wait for my grandma to arrive.

11:30am-5:00pm: Spend the day with my grandmother and cousin for Gram's birthday. We go downtown for a chowder cookoff, then go to the spa for facials. It is a lovely day.

5:30pm: Home for the night. I do a quick workout, plan what I'm going to do for food prep for the week, prep a little bit, and pack a lunch just to get me through tomorrow until I really cook, eat, relax watching tv, think about the week ahead, talk with an old friend who now lives in Australia on FB Messenger, wash up, and get in bed at 10. Ready to dominate another week!

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Related posts:

My Dance Week: Teaching Full-Time in a Public Middle School (Makenna Hague, Utah)

My Dance Week: Teaching Full-Time in a Public Middle School (Jennifer Smith, California)

My Dance Week: Teaching Full-Time in a 6th-12th Grade Public School (Sarah Billings Wheeler, NYC)

For Middle School Dance Educators: A Graphic Organizer to Support the Choreographic Process for Your Students

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