Jonathan Norton Email & Phone Number

In February 2020, I began working with the Team Behind Bluesfest in customer relations and ticketing. It was an honour to be part of such a valued festival experience in Ottawa.Before my employment at Festival House, I taught dance from noon until night, sharing the art and sport of ballroom and Latin dance with more than 2000 students and teachers. Across 15 years, I had many opportunities to connect with people from all walks of life who would describe the dance floor as far outside their comfort zone. I helped students raise their self-image by learning to dance. I coached highly accomplished professionals to find what has been missing in their relationships with their significant others and with themselves. I guided people who have suffered the loss of a loved one to reconnect with the social world. I hoped to bring a higher quality of life to students fighting debilitating illnesses. These professional connections made my dance career most fulfilling while I gained much in emotional intelligence, especially empathy, openness to feedback, and resilience in the face of change. I was awarded Canadian Top Teacher of the Year twice and earned a nine-times undefeated status in professional DanceSport competitions. I am most grateful, however, that I learned how to listen, how to communicate, and how to treat people. I am enthusiastic to offer these lifelong skills to future teams in my professional life.Before my career in dance instruction, I was a full-time student and a part-time soldier. I earned a Senate Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement when I graduated From Carleton University with a Combined Honours in Mass Communication & Film Studies. With the benefit of an Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) and work as a teaching assistant, I stayed at Carleton U. and completed a Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Film Studies. My military experience was about being part of something bigger than myself. During courses, exercises and taskings, I worked on diverse skills, like machine-gunning, para-trooping, and leadership. However, what I really gained as an army corporal was an education in ego-less collaboration with a purpose-driven team.

Listed skills include Leadership, Gender Studies, Writing, Latin Dance, and 25 others.