**To request a Curriculum Vitae, or Academic Profile Packet please use her contact page.**

Melissa earned an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University - Class of 2018. Her Thesis Research was conducted at Grand Canyon National Park, and deals with embodying a natural environment in choreographic process through a Somaesthetic approach. (videos/more info. in 'Research' tab)

She is currently on faculty at Colorado Academy (Denver). At CA she is part of both the Theatre and Dance program. She currently teaches Middle and Upper school dance courses in Contemporary/Jazz, Tap, Musical Theatre Dance, Vertical Dance as well as Directs and Choreographs the Middle and Upper School Musical.

She also teaches Advanced Acting for the Upper School, Directs plays for the Black Box series, and teaches 6th grade Theatre classes.

https://www.coloradoacademy.org/page/Arts/Dance

She was selected as the Colorado Dance Education Organization’s All-State Choreographer for the 2024 Conference- working with top dancers from across the state of Colorado on a Musical Theatre piece of choreography.

She has served as a Lecturer at CU Boulder (2019) teaching Musical Theatre Repertory and choreographing their Fall Musical production (2020).

She served as Guest Artist in Abilene Christian University's Music Theatre Department Fall 2015, teaching Ballet, Jazz and Tap, as well as choreographing their Homecoming Musical- "Mary Poppins," and  Showcase pieces.

She was an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago 2014-2015, and Roosevelt University 2012-2015. 
She taught Ballet, Jazz and Tap within the Music Theatre Departments.

She has also taught for or presented at:

• NDEO National Conference and CODEO State Conference 2020/2021, 2021/2022

* Rockette Summer Intensive Program and *Rockette Experience   Classes at Radio City Music Hall 

 *Gus Giordano  and Joel Hall Dance Center in Chicago

 *Master Classes and Workshops for various organizations and institutions across the country.

 * Private lessons 

She has also judged Dance Competitions Nationally.  

Teaching students of a Rockette Experience class an iconic Rockette kick line.