Melanie Lynch-Blanchard

Melanie Lynch-Blanchard is from a small city in northern New Jersey, right across the Hudson River from the center of the world, New York City. She trained at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, as well as countless ballet, modern and jazz schools throughout the city. Unable to resist the urge to run away from home, Melanie retreated to Florida to work with Susan and Michael Williams in 1989 and has called the South home ever since. She received a BFA in visual art from the Atlanta College of Art in 1996.
 

As Co-Founder and Director of Zoetic, Melanie leads the company’s creative initiatives including the development of productions, repertory and partnerships. She coordinates Zoetic fundraising and marketing efforts and participates in the development of education and outreach programming including the Zoetic Dance Exchange workshop series and the Zoetic Emerging Artist Ensemble for young dancers. Melanie also teaches company class and repertory, serves on the Board of Directors and works with Zoetic’s incredibly talented and innovative artists to develop new work in contemporary dance.
 

In addition to Zoetic’s repertory, Melanie’s work has been shown in the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival, the Inman Park Dance Festival, the First Glance Festival, various productions at Dad’s Garage Theater and for Theatrical Outfit, Full Radius Dance and for the Georgia Ballet’s Spectrum program.
 

Melanie is an accomplished arts administrator with extensive experience in non-profit arts and cultural institutions. She is the Administrative Director for the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies (GACAA) and has served as Contract Specialist for the Fulton County Arts Council. Melanie has participated in review panels for the Southern Arts Federation and City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. She was named as one of the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s “Faces to Watch” in the Arts in 2003, and was the recipient of the 2002 Emerging Artist Award in Dance from the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs.