Melissa Rector, independent artist and Assistant Artistic Director of Koresh Dance Company has been wowing audiences for 30 years both on stage and behind the scenes as a teacher and choreographer. As the artistic voice behind Koresh Dance’s youth ensemble and an independent producer, Melissa has a singular choreographic voice that speaks volumes about the tenderness and power of being human.

Hailing from West Virginia, Melissa came to Philadelphia to attend the University of the Arts and graduated in 1993. Melissa has been dancing with Koresh Dance Company since its inception in 1991 and is the company’s Assistant Artistic Director. She is also an instructor at the Koresh School of Dance, where she teaches her unique style that blends modern jazz and Luigi technique. Her work has been performed locally at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the Annenberg Center, Drexel University, the Grier School and Brandywine Ballet. She frequently travels around the country to perform, teach master classes and set choreography on students. In 2008, Melissa helped to establish the Koresh Youth Ensemble and serves as their artistic director, setting both original choreography and company repertory on the group.