In black and white, dancer Melanie Ridley smiles with her hair swept behind her shoulders against a light background.

Photo by Tati Vice

 

Melanie Ridley

Dancer

Melanie Ridley grew up in Houston, Texas where she trained at Kennedy Dance Theatre from 2014 to 2019. She was inspired to pursue ballet after being educated by former prima ballerina Milena Leben. She then trained at Vitacca Vocational School For Dance from 2019 to 2021 under Artistic Director Kelly Ann Vitacca and ballet masters Tina Kay Bohnstedt, Fara Sciulli-Bowen, and Stephen Hanna. In 2021, she joined Vitacca Ballet in Houston, Texas.