As an artist, thinker, writer, and educator specializing in jazz dance, Melanie centers the West African roots of jazz dance via the historically-informed technique, Neo-Jazz. In an effort to advance recognition and awareness of this form — and all jazz dance styles and techniques, Melanie founded Jazz Is… Dance Project, which operates two primary programs: Jazz Dance Direct, an online resource hub of information about jazz dance, and The Woodshed, an artist retreat program. Her choreography is frequently commissioned by college programs across the U.S. In 2016, Melanie’s choreography for the Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company’s production Women Laughing Alone With Salad was recognized with a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography. With over 25 years of teaching experience in universities, K-12 settings, festivals, and intensives, Melanie is recognized as a leading dance educator. From 2008-2016, she directed the dance program at American University and has held a number of faculty positions throughout the country. Utilizing a three-pronged approach to inquiry — pedagogy, choreography, and research, Melanie’s extensive experience in the field deeply informs her work as a Dance Scholar. With this research-focused mindset, Melanie has acted as a scholar-practitioner for leading dance organizations including, including Lumberyard, Stephen Petronio Company, Dance/NYC, Gibney Dance, and the IABD. As a Dance Dramaturg, Melanie works in a wide variety of dance genres. From 2016-2020, she was the Dramaturg / Audience Educator at Lumberyard, making her the only full-time institutional dramaturg for dance in the USA, and she is honored to be among the dramaturgs affiliated with Urban Bush Women’s Choreographic Center. Other dramaturgy collaborations include: Susan Marshall & Company, Raja Feather Kelly, Kimberly Bartosik/daela, Alice Sheppard/Kinetic Light, Maria Bauman-Morales/MBDance, Ephrat Asherie Dance, and Helen Simoneau Danse. Melanie holds a BA in dance from Western Michigan University, an MA in Dance, and a Graduate Certificate in Secondary Teaching from American University, and movement analysis certification from the Laban/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies. Currently, Melanie serves as an Associate Curator at Jacob’s Pillow.