Melissa Toogood is a 'Bessie' award- winning performer. Over a prolific freelance career, she has performed works by renowned choreographers including Kyle Abraham, Kimberly Bartosik, Wally Cardona, Michelle Dorrance, Rosie Herrera, Rashaun Mitchell, Jodi Melnick, David Parker, Stephen Petronio, Sally Silvers, Jamar Roberts, Christopher Williams, and others. Melissa is best known for her long-standing relationship with Pam Tanowitz Dance, where she has been an artistic force for nearly two decades. From 2012 to 2022, she served as Rehearsal Director, and assisted Tanowitz on numerous projects, including new commissions for Royal Ballet London, Martha Graham Dance Company, Ballet Austin, and Paul Taylor American Modern Dance.

A former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Melissa was part of the final generation personally trained by Cunningham. She is a 2013 and 2015 Merce Cunningham fellow. Since 2007, she has taught Cunningham Technique internationally and currently serves as an official Stager for the Merce Cunningham Trust, continuing to share his legacy with new generations of artists. As a choreographer, her work has been commissioned by Boston Ballet, New York Theatre Ballet, Vail Dance Festival, and the Ukaria Cultural Centre, Adelaide Australia, in collaboration with Brooklyn Rider. A regularly featured artist at the Vail International Dance Festival, Melissa first met and began collaborating with Johnny there over a decade ago. Melissa earned her BFA in Dance from New World School of the Arts, and in 2025, was appointed Dean and Director of the Dance Division at The Juilliard School, where she continues to shape the future of dance through education.