Today we’d like to introduce you to Marshay Johnson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been a dancer. Since elementary school, my grandmother always had me in something extra-curricular. I began my dance journey learning Tap dance. I was always fascinated with MTV! Micheal Jackson, Madonna, Janet were always my go to’s and I watched music videos and told myself I wanted to be a choreographer like Fatima and Tina Landon when I grew up. As the years went by, I cheered in elementary, middle and went onto high school to join the dance team, after high school was when I decided to take up dance as a career. I attended CSU Dominguez Hills and had a manager who would take me on several auditions and I trained at millennium dance complex in Hollywood. As a young 18 years old, I did not know what I was getting myself into, nor did I understand the level of hard work and dedication in which you must apply in order to Make it in the business. It was literally a lot and my focus was to go to school and not dance, so I then gave it a huge break, I transferred schools back to my hometown and thereafter joined a historically black organization, and participated in several step shows, and stroll off’s (Dance shows) across the country. In 2016, I gave birth to my daughter and was not dancing since 2014, and I began to get myself back into dance training. Of course, I had dance experience in the several genres: Hip hop, Jazz, ballet, tap, heels was a category on its own which incorporated all levels of form of dance; most importantly the appeal driven behind it.
Coming from the inland empire (San Bernardino), I would drive at least twice a week to north Hollywood to train in heels classes. There was no sort of of a “Heels” class in the Inland Empire not even a taste as to what LA offers, so I knew that if I had to be great I had to train with the greats. The more I posted myself dancing in Noho, women from my hometown would inquire if I was teaching, and I’d I always said “No, I wish…. I need to train more” LOL! I really felt incompetent, like I was not worthy of teaching. Even though I’ve been training for three years, I decided to take the chance on myself and do it! In September of 2019, I created my first heels class in Redlands. I felt was if the opportunity was given to me with a snap of a finger, I found a dance studio that can hold at least 100 students (it’s huge!) my first class was a success as nearly 50 women showed up to class, and since then forwarding to 2021, I continue to teach twice a week. There are now a handful of teachers teaching heels out here and I am happy that I was able to be a part of the movement. Being a mom we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves and we forget our “sexy”. What I mean by that is, we are held in a light that women can’t be sexy, that we can’t be sexual beings. I know that confidence thrives on the inner beauty of loving yourself, and I teach the beauty of art in class. I have women from the ages of 17-50 who join my classes each week and it’s fulfilling.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road since COVID hit, my classes have taken a huge dive. Though I do teach, I also have a career, and balance was one of the biggest challenges for myself as I created and managed Stilleto Steeze LLC. Though I have yet to have a huge influx since COVID, I still feed off of the positive energy these women display in my class.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Professionally I am a Social and Emotional school counselor providing intervention to our youth, I support the emotional needs of students who experience different levels of anxiety, depression, grief, and implement psychoeducational (PE) curriculum. I have worked with At-Risk (At-Promise) youth for over 11 years as a support staff for a charter school and am now fulfilling my purpose-driven passion as a counselor. Why counseling? Just like everyone, we have a unique story, I feel as though I am known for my triumphs and obstacles, and is why I went the route of educational counseling. I wish I had a “me”, support all my social and emotional needs when I was in high school and graduating into adulthood, however I did not, I somewhat masked the issues and knew there was a higher purpose with what I was going through. I come from a single-family home, where I have experienced plenty of traumatic events throughout my child and adolescent years, and reminisce the struggle and sacrifices I’ve made that made me the woman I am today. I thought it was embarrassing to come from a dysfunctional family, but I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve witnessed drug abuse, emotional and sometimes physical abuse all the while trying to stay a float in school.
When I was in my sophomore year of college, I had to take care of my two younger siblings, I was 21 held three part-time jobs went to school full-time and grew up in within that instant. I never thought of therapy, I didn’t have support it was just my brothers and I. I am most proud of being the first to graduate college in my family, despite the struggles, the set-backs I had that degree in the back of my mind the whole time, I knew that was one of my biggest accomplishments. I do not know how I did it, but I thanked God, he blessed me with Grit! I meditated daily on seeing the prize and knowing my setbacks do not define me. After I graduated, my little brother then went on the graduate from college, and then the two other younger siblings today have grown up to be respectful young hardworking men in the workforce industry. Despite our trauma, we broke our generational curse, and I am most proud of that and I feel that sets me apart from others. It is why I feel as if I went through life to change someone who is going through the same exact emotions same experiences. It is why I teach confidence in my dance classes to other women, because they too, themselves have stopped putting themselves first! I feel I am in my calling and I am most humbled to have grown from these experiences.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The first book/documentary that changed my life was “The Secret:” by Rhonda Byrne, I never understood what manifestation was until I seen the documentary. After I completed it, it was crazy to believe that manifestation is real and I used to meditate on things I wanted in life, and after seeing and reading about it, it was confirmation that what you truly believe is what you receive. Daily affirmations: I read Joel Osteen and listened to Joyce Meyers podcast! Literally, anything that had to do with God and self I indulged in that helped me through obstacles.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: StilletoSteeze.com
- Instagram: @Stilletosteeze
