MELISSA YOUNKER・ 2025 ​ ADJUDICATOR

Melissa Younker (she/her) is an artist with a multifaceted dedication to dance; directing, choreographing, teaching, learning, performing and designing costumes. Her interdisciplinary approach to dancemaking blends her experience in performance, choreography, film and costume design to contribute to collaborative centered experiences and productions. Originally from Southern California, Melissa received her BFA from California State University, Long Beach. She has toured to Croatia, France, Mongolia, Poland, South Korea and throughout the USA as a dance artist and educator with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Nikolais Dance Theatre, DanceMotion USA℠, Oriantheatre Dance Company (Paris), Heartland Collective, Spectrum Dance (Kraków), among others. She is a passionate educator, teaching within diverse communities including Dance Church®, Dance Class for Humans, University of Utah School of Dance, and Utah Valley University, where she was honored with the School of the Arts Dean’s Award of Excellence for Adjunct Faculty. Since 2023, Melissa has served as a Board Member for 801 Salon, a non-profit arts organization in Salt Lake City. Her independent projects and durational performances have been presented in California, Michigan, New York and Utah; in addition to official selections in film festivals in London, Utah and Virginia. Melissa continues to dive deep into her research in movement and its power to bring togetherness – sharing her curiosities and exchanging ideas with a sense of wonder.