Melanie McNamara or Miss Melanie is a New Jersey born dancer, who has been dancingfor 19 years now and received her dance teaching certification in 2020. She graduated with herBFA in Theatre Performance and Dance from Kean University in May of 2025. During her timeat Kean, she was given the opportunity to choreograph many of the school's mainstage productions; such as an adaptation of Anton Chekov’s The Seagull, and choreographed her own piece from scratch in 2024, titled The Tortoise and The Hare: Children’ s Ballet while simultaneously dancing the role of “The Tortoise” for Kean University’s Children's Theatre Tour where she was given the opportunity to travel and perform this ballet for elementary schools all over northern New Jersey!Miss Melanie has been recognized for her dedication and love of dance through awards such as Kean Theatre Conservatory’s “Terpsichore Award” for “the demonstration of the commitment to the art of dance and movement”, which she was awarded for two consecutive years, as well as a scholarship to the Martha Graham Dance School’s 2023 Winter Intensive Classes, in which she was honored to study Graham Technique under members of the Martha Graham Company and the Merce Cunningham Trust Foundation. Melanie has been thoroughly enjoying her return to dance teaching and finds working with her students to be just as educational for her, as it is for them. Melanie is so excited to get to know the students and families! She cannot wait to start her new journey as a teacher with Dance Class!