Joanne began her dance career in Chicago as a demi soloist with the Illinois Ballet Company, having studied with Edna MacRae (Ballet Mistress for Joffrey) and Richard & Christine Ellis from the Royal Ballet. She then moved to New York City where she studied at Ballet Russes and Ballet Theatre. Fortuitously, on her way to joining Ballet Russes, the company disbanded, and Joanne landed her first Broadway show, “Kismet,” choreographed by Jack Cole, the “Father of Jazz Dance,” and never looked back. She worked with such Luminaries as Michael Bennett, Jaime Rogers, Danny Daniels, Onna White, Joe Layton, and historic Broadway Icons like Ethel Merman, Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, Alfred Drake & Irving Berlin.
Joanne went on to have a long successful career as a Director/Choreographer completing over 100 commercials, Broadway projects; “Gangs” for David Merrick & “Jockeys” for Julie Styne; Movies: Thank God It’s Friday, Eddie & The Cruisers, Once Bitten” for Sam Goldwyn with Jim Carey, Body Rock (one of the first break dance movies to be released), the “Wired” about the Blues Brothers. Television; “And Life Goes On”, “Coach”, Dance Fever, Specials, MOW’s, TV series and Music Videos.
She was an Emmy Nominee for the Jane Mansfield Story and an American Video Award nominee for Chaka Khan’s, “I Feel For You. “ In 2018, Joanne was rewarded the coveted Professional Dancers Society’s Gypsy Robe; and again in 2018, The Los Angeles Dance Festival and The Brockus Project bestowed the “Service to the Field Award – Rise of the Female” to Joanne along with Renae Williams Niles and Ann Haskins.
Joanne developed her own production company, where she wrote, produced, directed, staged and/or choreographed Industry, Stage and TV shows. Among her many challenges was the half time show for the World Cup, directing over 1,000 performers. Among her Industry clients were Disney, Mazda, Toyota, Apple Computer among others.
While working as an agent for Bobby Ball Agency, she was asked to head the West Coast Office of Career Transition for Dancers, at Screen Actors Guild. Its mission was to help professional dancers bridge their careers to new challenging and fulfilling professions. She created programs, that assisted dancers in connecting, educating and fulfilling a wide range of goals and aspirations. As an example, Joanne brought the LEAP program to Los Angeles, helping dancers get their Bachelors Degrees so they could compete as leaders in the community. She developed the “Dancers Forum” which brought together respected opinion leaders of the dance world, such as Nigel Lythgoe, Debbie Allen, Renae Williams Niles, Tony Basil, Lula Washington, Sasha Anawalt, Jamal Simms, Julie McDonald, and so many others. She encouraged dancers to get Grants to go back to school and start new businesses, was a passionate leader of the National Outreach program all around the U.S. while working on her own Bachelors Degree. Upon graduating from the LEAP program in 2007 she began working at Cal State Northridge under the leadership of Dr. Paula Thomson. Dance and dancers have always been her passion, and she is so proud to be chosen as a judge for the Music Center’s Spotlight Awards, with Jeri Gaile at its helm. The Spotlight Awards gives recognition to young up-and-coming artists and inspires young people to reach out and be their best brilliant selves. Joanne is now also taking the opportunity to move into her next love, “writing”. She is so proud to join the talented and generous Jeff Slayton and Roger Martin Holman’s in their timely and important L.A. Dance Chronicle.