Melise Rider is from Crowley, Louisiana and danced with Core Dance Center for ten years. She has been teaching dance for over twenty years in the subjects of ballet, tap, jazz, and lyrical. This will be Melise's third year with Backstage Dance Studio. Before joining Backstage Dance Studio, she served as a ballet director for Kathy Kurth Dance Studio in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Her training consist of Cechetti Ballet and Jazz with styles that are strong in traditional technique. Melise has danced with Lake Charles Ballet Company and has toured with Dance Olympus as a VIP. Among her awards were Tremaine (Dance Company) scholarships. She has a love for choreography and children and is happy to be with Backstage Dance Studio with a primary goal to share her passion of dance with others. Melise thanks her husband and six children for supporting her in staying involved with dance.