At the age of 13, Melissa Toogood was just a young girl from Campbelltown in Australia when she had an epiphany that would shape her entire future. After witnessing the awe-inspiring performances at Newtown’s School of Performing Arts, she mustered up the courage to make a life-changing decision.
“I called the school and I asked to audition,”
Toogood recalls.
“I was scared. But, hey, it paid off.”
And indeed, it did pay off as she was accepted into the school and embarked on her journey towards a remarkable career in contemporary dance on an international stage. Reflecting on her bold move at such a young age, Toogood shares her philosophy:
“You can’t wait for an opportunity to come your way. I’m a shy person, but when it’s mattered, I’m willing to put myself out there.”
Fast forward three decades later, and Melissa Toogood has reached incredible heights in her career by being appointed as the dean and director of Juilliard School’s prestigious dance division in New York City. This institution is renowned globally for its excellence in performing arts education.
With this new role ahead of her, overseeing the nurturing of aspiring contemporary dancers and mentoring up to 90 young students under her guidance, Toogood expresses both excitement and readiness for this significant transition. At 43 years old now, she acknowledges that stepping away from center stage performance is part of embracing a new chapter in her artistic journey.
“I still want to live an artful life,”
she affirms.
“But I don’t want to be the one making it all the time anymore.”
Toogood’s career trajectory has been nothing short of extraordinary since moving to New York at 18 to pursue her passion for dance. She has collaborated with esteemed dance companies and choreographers throughout her tenure in the city that never sleeps.
From being part of Merce Cunningham Dance Company to receiving accolades for performances described as “precise and fluid, elegant and electric,” Toogood’s dedication and talent have consistently shone bright within the realm of contemporary dance.
Beyond her accomplishments on stage, Melissa Toogood has also made notable contributions offstage through roles such as rehearsal director, artistic associate, choreographer, and educator at prestigious institutions like Princeton University and Rutgers University.
Despite achieving international acclaim and success overseas, Toogood remains grounded in her roots back in Sydney’s western suburbs where she first discovered her love for dance. She attributes much of her success to Australia’s public education system which provided opportunities like attending Newtown School of Performing Arts free of charge.
Recognizing the transformative power of arts education firsthand, especially its role in fostering creativity and critical thinking skills from a young age; Toogood advocates passionately for equal access to these enriching experiences for all children regardless of their background or circumstances.
After spending over two years back home due to pandemic-related reasons working with various Australian dance institutions like Sydney Dance Company and Bangarra among others; Melissa Toogood is gearing up for a return with her family – including husband Kenneth E. Parris III – back to New York City as she prepares herself for this new chapter at Juilliard starting July 1st.
Nervous yet eager about what lies ahead in this leadership role that beckons another exciting phase in her career journey; Melissa looks forward to setting forth a visionary path while acting as a guiding light for students under her tutelage at Juilliard School showcasing once again that sometimes taking that brave step into uncertainty can lead you down extraordinary paths you’d never imagined possible.
