MELANIE FUTORIAN
Performing & Visual Artist/ Writer
PERFORMING & VISUAL ARTIST & WRITER
DANCE:
As a choreographer, some of Melanie's dances were premiered at the Battery Dance Festival,Next@Graham,Harlem Arts Festival, Broadway Dance Center, Higher Ground Festival and Symphony Space in New York.
She's currently choreographing for Benjamin Briones Dance Company and formed Half Century Dance -a company of professional dancers over 50 years old.
She choreographed the Amazon Prime film "Creeporia," was a guest choreographer at Baryshnikov Studios, American Youth Dance Theatre and various New York and Miami dance studios.
Melanie also taught/choreographed for Ailey Camp, M.I.T Dance Troupe, Harlem Children's Theatre Company, The Hebrew Arts School, The Dance Complex,Nautilus Jr High School, the Neighborhood Playhouse and many other schools.
She previously performed with New York and Boston dance companies including The Linda Diamond/Anna Sokolow project where she danced Anna Sokolow's roles.
Melanie received certification in the Lester Horton teacher training @ the Ailey School and is on the board of directors for City Dance NY.
CAMERA WOMAN/PHOTOGRAPHER :
She's been a camera woman/audio engineer for The United Nations, CNN News, SNY, Harvard University and FOX News Channel.
Her photography's been featured in "The New York Times,""Jazz Times", "Downbeat.com."
Melanie received 2 Grammy certificates for her photography for Arturo' O'Farrill's"Four Questions" and Pablo Ziegler's "Jazz Tango"
She's photographed major New York dance companies and has been the official photographer for UNESCO APCEI at the United Nations.
Melanie's created short films which have won 17 awards and been selected for over 55 international and national film festivals.
Two of her films have been presented at The New York Cat Festival, housed at The Angelika Theatre in New York. The festival received positive reviews in the New York Times and on NY 1.
Melanie was also interviewed on Miami's WLRN regarding her film,"Sick,Scared, Secluded." Melanie's "Mel's Kitchen" is now a play which will go Off Broadway in the spring of 2024.
WRITER:
Melanie's the author of “Don Alias,Stories of a Legendary Percussionist", which received five stars on Amazon, favorable reviews in London and New York magazines.
Her book was required reading at New York University where she was a guest lecturer. Her book can be found libraries, bookstores and was listed on WGBH 24/7 Jazz Booklist.
Melanie has written featured articles for "Dance Teacher Magazine" and had her own column in "All About Jazz.com" and "Jazzespresso.com"
Her monologues were performed in 2021 and 2022 by Essence of Acting, a theater company directed by Lynnie Godfrey.
In 2020, Melanie received an honorable mention for her novel, "Rub" from the Emerging Writer's Fellowship through Miami Book Fair.
ACTING:
As an actress Melanie appeared in Tennessee William's,"Hello from Bertha" ( H/B Theatre and Miles Theater),
She was featured in the Amazon Prime film"Creeporia," HBO's video game:"The Game of Fate" and has done featured extra work for many TV shows.
She acted in her short films which appeared in national/international festivals.
VOICE:
She's sung with The Middle Gospel Choir backing up Cissy Houston at Carnegie Hall and for Deborah Harry, at tHe Gay Men's Health Center. The choir also performed at a staged reading with Danny Glover for Emmit Down in My Heart," She sang for the festival awarded film "Safe Harbour Amsterdam," and a single for “Bellyhouse Records.”
ART
Melanie's visual art has been shown at the Pictor Gallery, located in New York's art district, Midtown's Jadite Gallery, the Jakmel Gallery in Miami with her photo book available at Miami's Bass Museum Shop.
Her hand painted clothing was sold at boutiques in the Village and So-Ho predominantly to rock & roll and hip hop artists.
She won second prize at The Cambridge Art Association in Cambridge, MA for her ceramics.
Melanie was a student at Boston University's School of Visual Arts and Adelphi University's Visual and Literary Arts.