Melita started learning Classical Ballet and Jazz from Cheryl Witchell and then Tap with Kaye Emmett. By age 8 she was exposed to both latin American and Ballroom. At age 10 Melita represented Australia in an International Dance tournament, that toured South East Asia, and as a Victorian representative for the South Pacific Ballroom championships. These wonderful experience’s also included multiple TV appearances and participation in many National dance competitions.
By age 19 Melita had completed both an Associate Ballet and Jazz teaching certificate with honors securing Melita entrance to Victoria College (Rusden) where she studied Dance and Drama for secondary teaching. After deferring studies to perform professionally overseas, Melita received a full time scholarship to Dance Factory. This association exposed Melita to some of the industries’ best styles and performers.
After securing a lead role with Warner Bros. as ‘Catwoman’, Melita performed in many different productions over the next 10 years through her travels to Japan, China, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and throughout Victoria. Continued appearances in Film/Video Clips, Modelling/Awards shows, Live Theatre, Stage and TV continue to showcase her variety of dance styles and choreography.
Completing Post Graduate studies at the VCA in Choreography/Animateuring continued to broaden her ‘body of work’ in drama and multi-medium art forms, and she later directed her own show as well as performing the lead in a Flamenco/Contemporary inspired performance, ‘Duende’.
In 2000 Melita’s love for Tap deepened when she met and studied with Grant Swift and in 2001-02 she also studied with Brenda Buffalino while on her Australian tour. 2000 also saw Melita perform as a principal artist in the Flamenco/Tap inspired production of ‘Footjam’.
During 2004 Melita attended the New York City Tap Festival where she studied with “Tap Masters” including Jason Samuels-Smith, Roxanne Butterfly, Lynn Dally, Margaret Morrisson, Charles Goddertz and Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards.
Melita also boasts a teaching career that spans 19 years, 25+ schools and 4 countries.
As a Director and active member of the teaching staff of Have2dance Melita continues to maintain her close association with the educational, performance and commercial aspects of dance.
Melita recently performed in Singapore at the St. Regis Hotel opening ceremony and at the 2008 Ausdance Awards in Melbourne.
