A native New Yorker, Ariyan Johnson, is a gifted professional with an extensive history and training in the arts. She grew up in a God-fearing creative household encouraged by her artistic parents. Her father, a painter and contemporary artist, and her mother, an actress and dancer, had their own children's theatrical dance company where Ariyan first trained and performed. Ariyan majored in dance and voice at Phillipa Schulyer School for the Gifted and Talented. She went on to the prestigious "Fame" high school, La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts, where she concentrated in dance with further studies in drama. Full dance scholarships soon followed at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Martha Graham Contemporary Dance School and Harkness Ballet 92nd St. Y School. She was awarded a merit scholarship in dance from Chautauqua Dance Conservatory School where she had the privilege to study with the renowned Kevin Keenan. While hard at work as a consummate artist, lecturer and dance ministry advocate, Ariyan received her B.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology. These studies allowed her to filter her artistic gifts to individuals who would not necessarily be introduced first hand to the arts.

Upon receiving the coveted honorable mention for choreography from the National Endowment for the Arts, Ariyan was inspired to found her own company-DIMABA (Degrees In Movement Arranged By Ariyan). Through the experience of birthing DIMABA, she learned the additional skills of creating show budgets, tour promotions, and hiring strategies while choreographing for awards shows, films, tours, musical artists, and music videos. Overlapping her studies and work with DIMABA, Ariyan became the founding liturgical dance director of Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York where she served for 10 years. There she acquired knowledge of the struggles of establishing a dance ministry, protocol of church politics, and the creative collaborations of choir and dance in worship services. It was then that God opened up a relatively new artistic concentration in the performing arts.

Ariyan's first professional acting experience was starring in the Sundance Special Jury Prize Winning film - Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. The lead role earned her a Best Actress nomination from the Independent Film Project's "Spirit Awards." Ariyan went on to star in such films, plays, and television series as: Warren Beatty's critically acclaimed feature film Bulworth, Pearl Cleage's play Flyin' West , at the historic Pasadena Playhouse, and the WB network's The Steve Harvey Show as the shy new girl "Aisha" - to name a few. As an accomplished professional dancer, Ariyan has performed throughout the states and world in places including the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, and Japan with dance companies and musical artists such as Eleo Pomare, Forces of Nature, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, 2 in a Room, SWV, Keith Sweat, and LL. Cool J.

New career opportunities soon blossomed in the areas of voice over, poetry, and T.V. Hosting. As a voice over artist, she has worked on cartoons like the WB's "Static Shock", been the "finest girl on campus" for the Honda Civic radio campaigns, voiced popular ads for McDonald's and Nike, and a slew of commercials and films as the voice for many. She was fortunate to have the Legendary poet Reggie Gaines from "Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk? mentor her poetic gift in the area of performance art, which debuted at the Nuyorican and on stage at Lollapalooza in New York City. Additionally, she had the opportunity to record a poetry album recorded with the Patty Cake recording team, known for being one of the producers for Destiny Child's "Say My Name". Hosting live shows like the "Summerthyme Series" and BET's television special on Teen Pregnancy was a wonderful incorporation of Ariyan's engaging sense of humor and passion for activism.

Liturgically, in addition to serving as the founding Director of Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, Ms. Johnson presented workshops and consulted on helping to build a dance ministry at such churches as Church Glorious in Chino California, Bridge Street Church in Brooklyn New York, Bible Enrichment Fellowship International Church in Inglewood California, and Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Richmond, California to recall a few. Personally sharing her evangelistic spirit of excellence in the ministry of dance, Ariyan has also choreographed for and ministered at a host of ministry engagements for churches, including 2nd A.M.E in Los Angeles; missions, including the L.A. Mission; businesses like The Boeing Company and gospel artists like Kurt Carr.

Currently, Ms. Johnson is the Artistic Director of Faithful Dance Company at Faithful Central Bible Church (FCBC) in Inglewood, CA - where the dynamic Dr. Kenneth C. Ulmer is the pastor-teacher. Faithful Dance Company is one of the largest dance ministries in Southern California with members ranging in age from 6-65. For the past eight years, Ariyan has choreographed for the citywide Easter Service held at the legendary Great Western Forum before an audience of 18,000 - which also was favorably reviewed by the New York Times. Most recently, besides choreographing for the legendary CHAKA KHAN, Ariyan became a forerunner in the realm of dance ministry by becoming one of the first to write, direct, and choreograph a dance driven play that fused poetry, live song, dance, and drama to depict a life of self examination. "Pure Gold" played locally to standing room only audiences in the greater Los Angeles area. She has also taught liturgical dance classes for the community and church workshops, in addition to teaching dance throughout the New York Metropolitan area. Ariyan continues to be sought after to speak, choreograph, and do seminars relating to dance ministry across the country. Throughout her journey of artistic excellence in every medium she is gratefully humbled that God would bless her so richly. Ms. Johnson strives toward breaking new ground with interesting and unexpected turns as God continues to lead her.