Chris Johnston
Chris Johnston began his dance training at the age of 11, studying International Style Ten Dance, Ballroom and Latin in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. At the same time, he was active in a number of other various sports including soccer, hockey, golf, and tennis. The path of his dance career started with a successful dance competition focus and expanded to recognized success in the business end of dancing and entertainment.
Chris’s competitive achievements included winning the All Ireland Under-16 Latin Championships three times at the ages of 13, 14 & 15. He also won the All Ireland Amateur Latin Championships at age 16, distinguishing himself by being the youngest winner of this Championship.
With a new partner, he won the European Under 21 Amateur Latin Championships in 1982. In 1987, he won the United States Open Amateur Latin Championships and was a finalist in the Amateur Latin Division of the UK Open, International Championships, and European Championships in 1988 and 1989.
Chris was also a British Open Championships Finalist in 1989. He made DanceSport history that same year with his partner as the first British couple to sign a major commercial sponsorship deal in an agreement with British Aerospace.
From 1982 to 1992, Chris appeared on television’s British Come Dancing series 22 times.
In 1992, with a new partner, Chris won the Finnish Amateur Latin Championship, after which he turned Professional.
In 1993, Mr. Johnston moved to Boston, Massachusetts to work for the Fred Astaire Dance Studios. He ended up acquiring the Boston franchise in 1994.
In 1997, Chris danced for the prestigious, New York City-based American Ballroom Theater Company, broadening his dance expertise by giving exhibition dances in the Ballroom theater style of exhibition dance.