Melinda started her career in musical theatre, first as a dancer and then choreographing such shows as Music Man, Gypsy, The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof. She won "The Best of Boston" Award for Choreography for her “High Hot Moons” for Boston’s PBS station WGBH. She later directed and produced an original musical adaptation of Loves Labors Lost at the Hasty Pudding Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Taking a (just how long does this kind of thing last!) break from the theatre, Melinda moved to Africa for six years where she ran an indigenous carpet-making business that employed over 40 people. Melinda’s passion for the people of Kenya led her to fund several critically important projects, including the preservation of endangered Rhinos and the protection of working farmlands that local populations relied upon for subsistence — an initiative that was recognized by the region’s British High Commission.

Melinda also funded the construction of several primary schools in some extremely rural communities. Since the schools were built on privately owned land on Lewa Downs and were not government-run, they were able to afford local children a free education, which was unheard of in Kenya at that time. In addition, Melinda created scholarship funds to ensure that the top grade-earner from each school would have the chance to attend secondary school. Since 1992, nearly 50 students have taken advantage of this opportunity with many going on to attend college, a remarkable achievement in these communities.

These and many of her other extraordinary adventures were chronicled in Melinda’s book, Jambo Mama.

After returning from Africa, Melinda worked as an intern in The Manhattan Theater Club’s (MTC) Musical Theater Program. While working on the development of new new musicals, Melinda became aware that there were no programs anywhere in the country for the development and promotion of new musical theater choreographers.

Coincidentally, while working at MTC on Captains Courageous, Melinda met choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Together, they talked of their desires to support and advance the careers of emerging choreographers. An idea was born.

Melinda approached many organizations around New York City with her proposal to create an initiative that would identify and showcase up-and-coming musical theatre choreographers. Finally, she met representatives from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), an organization dedicated to supporting the craft and artistry of stage directors and choreographers. It seemed the perfect fit.

With her staunch direction, tenacious dedication and personal resources, Melinda designed, nurtured and finally presented, with SDCF, the first DanceBreak in 2002. To ensure that this dream became a reality, she personally funded the program the first three years.

Since its inception, DanceBreak has attracted some of musical theatre’s foremost artists to participate in the program. In addition to Jerry Mitchell, Marge Champion and Kathleen Marshall have also been driving forces in the program’s evolution. Other participating artists over the years have included: Larry Fuller, Rob Ashford, Robert La Fosse, And Blankenbeuhler, Mark Brokaw, David Warren, Peter Pucci, Ken Robeson, Casey Nicholaw, Jeff Calhoun, and Edie Cowan.

Seeing DanceBreak come to such vibrant life, flourish and help propel the careers of so many gifted young choreographers has been a dream-come-true for Melinda. With the creation of The DanceBreak Foundation, Melinda hopes to assure the future and the growth of this extremely successful venture.

Photo: Melinda Atwood and DanceBreak 2005 Choreographers by Ben Strothmann