Melissa Staheli
Rehearsal Director, Senior Faculty
Melissa Staheli joined the faculty at The Dallas Conservatory in 2020 after relocating to Texas. As Rehearsal Director, Resident Choreographer, YAGP Coach, and Senior Faculty, Melissa works closely with the Pre-Professional Division students as well as TDC’s Performance Company and recreational dancers. Melissa has served as Primary and Secondary coach to several students who have received top scholarships and awards across the country at national competitions, international schools, and on television shows. Melissa’s choreography was most recently awarded placement among the Top 12 Ensembles at the YAGP World Finals 2024 in New York City.
At the young age of 16, Melissa received the coveted Monticello Scholarship for Talented Young Choreographer for Regional Dance America. The following year she received Regional Dance America’s Outstanding Choreography award. Melissa was selected as one of four choreographers to participate in the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s Choreoplan 2000 to create a work for the prestigious company. This work was later premiered by the Utah Regional Ballet (now Utah Metropolitan Ballet). As Director of the Ballet Department at Center Stage Performing Arts Studio in Utah, Melissa expanded her choreographic repertoire to include two original, full-length ballets. Melissa also trained students and choreographed multiple pieces for Olympic Ballet School while living in Washington State, including a world premiere work for the OBT’s Summer Gala in 2018. Melissa’s choreography for The Dallas Conservatory has won multiple regional and national awards for YAGP, Washington DC Grand Prix, NYCDA, 24-Seven, and Radix, along with other competition circuits.
Melissa has had the thrilling opportunity to attend many teacher seminars, including training with Marcia Dale Weary and Darla Hoover at the world-renowned Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and with Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of the Joffrey Ballet, Chicago. Dancing professionally with the Sacramento Ballet and Utah Regional Ballet (now Utah Metropolitan Ballet), Melissa performed as a Soloist in many classical ballets and productions across the country and in Europe and worked with master teachers including Deborah Dobson, David Howard, Alan Hineline, Armando Duarte, Violette Verde, Ron Cunningham, Carinne Binda, Darla Hoover and Galina Mezentseva.
When she is not at the studio, Melissa enjoys creating memories with her husband and their four children camping, kayaking, hiking, and relaxing in the mountains or at the beach. Melissa also loves serving within her church community, especially working closely with youth groups and directing special musical numbers and programs.