Background

Melissa Ajayi is a graduate of Kent State University where she received a BFA in dance performance and a BS in Therapeutic Recreation. She lived and worked in New York City, and Lexington Kentucky before returning to Ohio in 2015. She has danced with multiple companies including Antaeus Dance, Travesty Dance Group, Marquez Dance Project, Emily Jeffries, Sarah Holmes-Villanueva, Leanne Schmidt and Company and Blackbird Dance Theatre. 
She has performed locally at CPT's Danceworks, Pandemonium, Cleveland Dance festival, and The Somatic Center where she also taught adult contemporary dance. Her own work has been presented at Blackbird Dance festival and Tridea Dance. 
In addition to her performance career, Melissa is a Nationally Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Her work and writing about using dance as a therapeutic intervention has been published in the National Therapeutic Recreation Journal, and she has presented at the New York State Therapeutic Recreation Association Conference, Therapeutic Recreation Association of Suffolk County Conference (Long Island), and the National Dance Education Organization Conference. She currently works at a behavioral health setting using dance, art, and recreation to aid in recovery.