Teaching

Dance masterclasses, school residencies and workshops in contemporary, floorwork, acrobatics and Afro-Brazilian dance, taught in English, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish to students from age 5 to professional dancers, from university studios and Los Angeles schools to dance companies in Brazil and Italy.

15+
years teaching
7+
school residencies
3
countries: USA, Brazil, Italy
4
teaching languages

Teaching philosophy

“My teaching is built on pushing boundaries while exploring who we are. I believe in going past our limits, but there is so much nuance in how we dance that we don’t always need dramatic explorations to find something deeper. Sometimes the subtle choice brings the stronger result.

I see the strength in every dancer. We are all built differently, and each of us carries our own movement, dynamics, textures, background and history into the studio and onto the stage. In class, I work through both a collective lens and an individual one: we build technique and vocabulary together, rooted in where each dance comes from, and then I give every dancer space to find their own way into the material. My goal is for students to leave stronger, more curious, and more confident in what makes their movement theirs.”

Michela Melone

What I teach

ContemporaryFloorworkAcrobaticsModernAfro-Brazilian danceSamba de rodaSamba de cabocloMaculelêOrixá dancesHip hopBreaking footworkPartnering and trust workChoreography and creative processCareer Q&A for dancers

Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) · BA in Dance, Choreography and Performance, BYU-Idaho, with honors (NHSDA)

In the studio

Flyer for Michela Melone floorwork masterclass at Nutempo Dance, Aracaju
Floorwork masterclass · Nutempo Dance, Aracaju
Flyer for the BYU-Idaho Dance Area Meeting with professional dancer Michela Melone
Guest artist talk · BYU–Idaho Department of Dance
Flyer for Agosto da Dança contemporary class with Michela Melone at Casa Sô Movimento, Salvador
Agosto da Dança · Casa Sô Movimento, Salvador
Michela Melone leading the open audition for EGO at Nutempo, Aracaju
Leading the EGO open audition · Nutempo, Aracaju
Michela Melone during her masterclass at BYU-Idaho
Masterclass · BYU–Idaho
Flyer for Michela Melone samba de roda community class at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center
Samba de roda class · Viver Brasil, Los Angeles

Teaching experience

Universities, schools, dance companies and conventions across the United States, Brazil and Italy.

University and high school guest artist
Brigham Young University–Idaho, Department of Dance
Guest Artist and Speaker
Invited back to her alma mater: a masterclass in floorwork and footwork drawn from Afro-Brazilian dance and breaking for about 80 dance students, plus the department’s Forum Hour career Q&A
Rexburg, Idaho
2025
Crean Lutheran High School
Specialty Guest Teacher
Invited twice to teach acrobatics and hip hop to the dance program
Irvine, California
2023
Marshall Fundamental Secondary School
Guest Teaching Artist
Returned to set a contemporary piece on the advanced dance students
Pasadena, California
2026
International masterclasses and conventions
NuTempo Dance Company
Masterclass Teacher
Floorwork and contemporary masterclasses. In 2025, also held the open audition for EGO, with about 40 dancers from across northeast Brazil
Aracaju, Brazil
2023 and 2025
Casa Sô Movimento (Vera Passos)
Guest Teacher
Floorwork and contemporary masterclasses for professional dancers, including the Agosto da Dança program
Salvador, Brazil
2023 and 2025
Larissa Portela Escola de Dança
Guest Teacher
Two floorwork masterclasses for students and professional dancers
Aracaju, Brazil
2023
Vieste Summer Dance Convention
Faculty
Floorwork teacher
Vieste, Italy
2023
Dance in Rome · Rome Convention Dance and Rome Summer Dance
Ambassador and Faculty
Floorwork faculty for the Rome Convention Dance and Rome Summer Dance programs, and an official Dance in Rome ambassador
Rome, Italy
2022 to 2023
School residencies in Los Angeles
SODE School of Performing Arts · Providencia Elementary School
Residency Teaching Artist, Brazilian Dance Specialist
Designed and led a samba de roda and samba de caboclo residency, about 15 sessions with classes of 15 to 28 students, and teaches in SODE’s ongoing multicultural dance program in Burbank schools
Burbank, California
2026 to present
Viver Brasil Dance Company · James A. Foshay Learning Center
Residency Teaching Artist
Designed and taught samba and Afro-Brazilian dance classes across the spring residency
Los Angeles, California
2025
Diavolo | Architecture in Motion · Marshall Fundamental Secondary School
Residency Teaching Artist
Year-long residency with the advanced dance students: partnering, trust work, acrobatic skills and the safe execution of demanding choreography
Pasadena, California
2024 to 2025
Viver Brasil Dance Company · Young Empowered Scholars
Residency Teaching Artist
Afro-Brazilian dance and samba residency for youth participants
Los Angeles, California
2024
Viver Brasil Dance Company · Loyola Village Elementary School
Residency Teaching Artist
Samba in the Streets residency for elementary students
Los Angeles, California
2024
Viver Brasil Dance Company · Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School
Residency Teaching Artist
Summer and fall Samba in the Streets residencies, culminating in a student Maculelê performance taught with Viver Brasil co-founder Luiz Badaró
Los Angeles, California
2023
Viver Brasil Dance Company · Inner-City Arts
Rehearsal Director and Dancer
Celebrating Samba residency and school assembly performances that bring Afro-Brazilian culture to students across Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California
2023 to present
Community classes and workshops
Viver Brasil Community Class
Guest Teacher
Samba de roda class at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, free and open to all ages and levels with support from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Los Angeles, California
2025
Diavolo | Architecture in Motion
Teaching Artist
Diavolo Institute workshops and classes, including specialty classes for Free 2 Be Me, a Los Angeles organization offering dance to children and adults with Down syndrome
Los Angeles, California
2022 to present
Rehearsal direction and coaching
Viver Brasil Dance Company
Rehearsal Director and Associate Choreographer
Directs rehearsals across the company repertoire, including Rezas e Folhas and Celebrating Samba, training new company members in Afro-Brazilian and contemporary styles
Los Angeles, California
2025 to present
Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad! with Viver Brasil
Dance Captain, Associate Choreographer and Rehearsal Director
Dance Captain since 2023; for the 2026 season, Associate Choreographer and Rehearsal Director, creating the choreographic changes to the show
Disney California Adventure Park
2023 to present
VOLO / Diavolo Institute
Rehearsal Lead and Trainer
Led T.R.U.S.T. rehearsals and trained new company dancers in catch and flying technique, choreography and acrobatic skills
Los Angeles, California
2025
Movement Lifestyle
Class Assistant
Assisted AbiAnne Oliver’s Beginner/Intermediate Jazz class
Los Angeles, California
2026
Where it started
Associazione Sportiva L’Etoile
Dance Teacher and Recital Choreographer
Taught modern and hip hop technique to students aged 5 to 40 and choreographed the annual recitals
L’Aquila, Italy
2011 to 2014
Teatro Nobel per la Pace
Hip Hop Teacher and Recital Choreographer
Taught hip hop technique to students aged 8 to 15 and choreographed the end of year recital
San Demetrio ne’ Vestini, Italy
2011 to 2013

Book a class or residency

Available for masterclasses, university guest artist visits, school and company residencies, dance conventions and competition judging, in the United States and internationally.

Invite Michela to teach

michela.bookings@gmail.com

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