Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Tannus.
Hi Melissa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started taking tap lessons at a dance studio in Brazil when I was 6 years old, but really my journey with dancing started when I was just a one-year old baby and always tried to copy my sister’s tap steps as she practiced in the living room. I always took it very seriously and practiced for many hours at my local studio because I knew I wanted to teach tap one day. At 15 years old I started getting scholarships to come attend tap festivals in the United States and I fell in love with the country, the culture and how much tap was respected and valued here, that’s when I decided I eventually wanted to live here and become a professional tap dancer. At 19 years old I decided to take the leap, I quit college and came to the US completely on my own to try to make a career out of this art form I loved so much. The stars aligned and my wildest dreams came true, I was hired by a professional tap company who gave me my very first visa, appeared in TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, America’s Got Talent and the Late Late Show, was written about in major publications such as the NY Times, LA Times, Dance Spirit Magazine and more and started traveling the world to teach, adjudicate, choreograph and perform. I am now bicoastal and I split my time between Florida where I teach in several local studios and California where I teach at the University of California San Diego, produce and direct the annual San Francisco Tap Festival.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all. While I was achieving many of my career dreams, I unexpectedly lost both of my parents, which was incredibly difficult to navigate. They were my biggest supporters, and learning how to move through life without their love and encouragement is something I am still working on every day. Whenever something exciting happens in my career or personal life, part of me wishes I could pick up the phone and share the news with them. Feeling their absence is never easy, but I find comfort in knowing they would be incredibly proud of the life I have built and the person I have become. On top of that, making a living as an artist comes with its own challenges. The community is not always supportive, and it can be difficult to navigate competition, comparison, and other people’s egos. Over time, however, I have learned to surround myself with people who genuinely support me and to trust my own talent and the value I bring to the table. It took many years of hard work, practice, networking, and experience to establish myself in the industry and build a career that allows me to find opportunities wherever I go. For that, I am deeply grateful. It may not be the most stable career path, but it is one that brings me a lot of joy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in tap dance and am known for incorporating Brazilian music, culture, and rhythms into my classes and performances. Today, I teach and choreograph throughout the United States and internationally at dance studios, conventions, tap festivals, and universities, while also serving as an adjudicator for dance competitions across the country. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to perform on television and on major stages, including the US Open and the Democratic National Convention, among others. While I am proud of these accomplishments, one of my greatest achievements is earning American citizenship solely through my professional career as a tap dancer to I am incredibly proud to be the founder and director of the San Francisco Tap Festival, which recently celebrated its fourth year and now welcomes more than 150 students from around the world, along with nine renowned faculty members from across the United States. This accomplishment is especially meaningful to me because my own journey in the United States began with a scholarship to attend a tap festival. That experience changed the course of my life and showed me firsthand the impact that educational and artistic opportunities can have on aspiring dancers. Because of that, it means the world to me to be an immigrant that now create similar opportunities for others to help educate, inspire, and support the next generation of artists as they pursue their own dreams. What sets me apart is not only my passion for tap dance and its history, but also my commitment to sharing Brazilian culture through my work. I strive to lead with kindness, authenticity, and generosity, while celebrating the richness of Brazilian music, dance, and traditions. My greatest goal is to use art as a bridge between cultures and to inspire others through both my work and my story.
What are your plans for the future?
I am currently developing an online educational tap dance program that will not only include technique and choreography but also tap dance history, music theory, and artistic development in Portuguese, English and hopefully even Spanish. Throughout my career, I have taught dancers from all over the world who continue to ask how they can keep learning from me after attending my classes, and this program will allow me to bridge that gap, making my teaching accessible to a wider audience while helping me share my passion for tap dance with even more students. Looking ahead, I would also love to grow my following, establish my own dance company and open a dance studio where I can create a lasting artistic community, mentor future generations of dancers, and continue promoting tap dance education. On a personal level, I hope to build a loving family and create a life that is as fulfilling outside the dance floor as it is within it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.melissatannus.com
- Instagram: @melissatannus
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.tannus
- Twitter: @melissatannus
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@melissatannustap
