Adult Modern Dance Workshop W/ Melissa Knestaut-Ajayi

Cost: $15 *All levels Melissa's Bio: Melissa Knestaut-Ajayi is originally from New Philadelphia, Ohio and a graduate of Kent State University where she received a BFA in dance performance and a BS in Therapeutic Recreation. During her time at Kent, she trained in classical ballet, jazz, and modern including Erick Hawkins, May O’Donnell, and Laban techniques as well as contemporary partnering and contact improvisation. She danced with the Kent Dance Ensemble performing company for 3 years during which she performed works by several artists including Kimberly Karpanty, Melanie Geogre, Barbara and Sabatino Verlezza, Leanne Schmidt, Kora Radella, Alicia Diaz, and Joan Meggitt. While living in New York City for over four years, Melissa continued to teach and study contact improvisation and contemporary partnering and had the privilege of performing in works by Alexandra Beller, Barbie Diewald, Kay Ottinger, Kimberly Karpanty, and was a member of MWest and Company under the direction of Melissa West as well as Leanne Schmidt and Company, with whom she continues to collaborate. After relocating to Lexington, Kentucky, Melissa was lucky to connect with Jenny Fitzpatrick who graciously invited her to join Backbird Dance Theatre in 2014. Melissa was seen in Broken Queen in June 2014, Cabaret in 2015 and collaborated with the company during the choreography and rehearsal process for Romeo and Juliet in 2015. In addition to her performance career, Melissa is a Nationally Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and has worked in several clinical and community settings including Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center in NYC, and Eastern State Hospital in Lexington. Her work and writing about using dance as therapeutic recreation has been published in the National Therapeutic Recreation Journal, and presented at the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association Conference, Therapeutic Recreation Association of Suffolk County Conference (Long Island), and the National Dance Education Organization Conference. During her work with individuals with brain injuries, she was sponsored by the National Aphasia Association to produce a work to raise awareness about Aphasia, a language disorder that affects many people after stroke or brain injury. Melissa has relocated yet again to Cleveland Ohio and has taken on her largest role to date as mother to a baby boy. She plans to dance with Cleveland-based Travesty Dance Group in the spring of 2016 and is excited to continue her collaboration with Blackbird Dance Theatre. More Info below.