Imani Johnson, 15, is one of the best Irish dancers in the country. The Atlanta resident placed second in her age group at the U.S. nationals in 2021, won her group in the Southern regionals in 2018 and 2019, and has won more local competitions than her mother can count.
Johnson is used to being one of the few Black dancers at Irish dance competitions, but it was a bit challenging at first. “I would want to see someone like me, so I could have someone to relate to,” she said. But as she got more involved in the scene, she found a few other dancers of color who shared her passion.
A mostly white world of big, curly haired wigs, sparkly costumes, “Riverdance” leaps and monster calves, competitive Irish dance has become more diverse over the decades.
I pitched, wrote, and photographed the the article for NBC.
