Melody Morrow

2025 Riverside Dance Festival Residency, 2024 World Premieres, Fall 2023 Creative Residency

Melody began her formal dance training at the Academy of Dance and Fine Arts in North Carolina and continued her education at the Visual Performing Arts Center, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with an Associate Degree in Science. To deepen her technical foundation and artistic voice, she went on to study at Boston Conservatory at Berklee under the direction of Cathy Young and Tommy Neblett.

She enriched her training through prestigious summer intensives, including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, RUBBERBAND, Bodytraffic, Countertechnique’s One Body One Career in Amsterdam, and Springboard Danse Montréal. While completing her BFA at Boston Conservatory in December 2019, she also danced with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Professional Program (2019–2020).

Throughout her career, Melody has had the opportunity to study and perform works by renowned choreographers such as William Forsythe, Doug Varone, Kyle Abraham, Spenser Theberge, Peter Chu, José Limón, Fernando Melo, Adam Barruch, Rena Butler, Bryan Arias, and Ryan Mason.

In 2020, she joined Aszure Barton & Artists, performing Where The Form (WTF) as well as Tannhäuser at LA Opera. Most recently, Melody has been working and performing with the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company under the direction of Jamila Glass since fall 2023. In 2024, she joined Zoe Juniper Company for a new project set to premiere in Seattle in 2025.

@melmorrow88
*Photo by Megan Kyle Allen

After 20 years of artistic creation and community engagement, L.A. Contemporary Dance concludes its journey as an organization as of January 9, 2026.

Founded to showcase dance in Los Angeles, LACDC evolved into a home for collective artistry where performances were crafted by choreographers and dancers alongside playwrights, composers, designers, filmmakers, photographers, stage managers, technicians — an incredible team whose imaginative work gave shape and emotional depth to our repertory. These collaborations brought contemporary dance to life in ways that were bold, explorative, expressive, and accessible.

Through live events, digital experiences, and educational programming, LACDC cultivated environments rooted in curiosity, belonging, and learning without judgment. The organization consistently asked how contemporary dance might better reflect and serve the community around it, valuing discovery over mastery and process alongside performance.

This vision was made possible thanks to the creativity and leadership of our Artistic Directors, Executive Directors, Managing Directors, and Company Staff:

Artistic Leadership

Kate Hutter Mason — Artistic Director & Co-founder (2005–2015)
Genevieve Carson — Artistic Director (2016–2020)
Jamila Glass — Artistic Director (2021–2025)

Executive & Managing Leadership

Michelle Jolly — Executive Director & Co-founder (2005–2009)
Lauren Dragicevich — Managing Director (2009–2013)
Eva Angeloff — Managing Director (2013–2018)
Napoleon Gladney — Executive Director (2019–2025)

We are profoundly grateful to all who have left their fingerprints on the organization. This work would not have been possible without the support of our board members, donors, producers, presenters, community partners, volunteers, students, audiences, friends, and family — all who believed in this work. You made it possible.

While LACDC as an organization is closing, the values we cultivated continue forward through the relationships formed here and in all of you.

To anyone considering starting a company or pursuing a dream project — do it. Start now. Don’t wait for the opportunity; be the opportunity. We need your voice and creative work more than ever.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey.

L.A. Contemporary Dance
(2005–2025)