Melinda Sullivan is a Los Angeles–based tap dancer, choreographer, performer, and educator whose work spans film, television, theater, and live performance. Sullivan has served on Colburn’s faculty for the past fifteen years as a tap dance instructor. As Chair of the Tap Department she oversees tap dance, hip hop, and jazz dance for TZDI and Colburn’s annual Tap Fest.
Melinda Sullivan is a Los Angeles-based tap dancer, choreographer, performer, and educator with a diverse career spanning dance, television, film, and theater. She trained under the Jazz Tap Ensemble, California Dance Theater, the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Jason Samuels Smith, and the late Dr. Harold Cromer, developing a deep appreciation for tap dance’s history, musicality, and artistic possibilities.
Best known for her groundbreaking appearances on FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance, Melinda was the first tap dancer to reach the Top 10 and later returned as the show’s first tap All-Star. Her film and television credits include La La Land, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Academy Awards, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Disney+’s Encore, where she served as an on-camera choreographer.
As a performer, Melinda has toured with Disney’s High School Musical franchise, the 25th Anniversary Tour of Cats, and Jason Samuels Smith’s tap dance company, Anybody Can Get It (ACGI). She has also performed with the Syncopated Ladies, Postmodern Jukebox, and collaborated as a guest artist with Dorrance Dance, premiering new work at The Joyce Theater and Jacob’s Pillow.
An award-winning choreographer, Melinda was the first woman and first tap dancer to receive the Capezio A.C.E. Award. She is also the recipient of a World Dance Award for Best Choreography (Television Episodic) and was recognized by Dance Magazine as one of its prestigious “25 to Watch.” Her choreography has been presented at Birdland Jazz Club, Pasadena Dance Festival, REDCAT, the Blue Whale, and the Alvin Ailey Theater. Melinda made her Broadway choreographic debut at Lincoln Center as the associate choreographer on James Lapine’s new musical Flying Over Sunset.
In addition to her work as a performer and choreographer, Melinda is one half of an innovative creative partnership with Grammy-nominated musician and composer Larry Goldings. Together, they create original works that blend tap dance, jazz, electronic music, and storytelling into performances that are both inventive and joyful. Their debut album, Big Foot, released on Colorfield Records, explores the rhythmic and melodic possibilities of tap dance through an imaginative fusion of jazz and electronic soundscapes. Their newest album, Music Grows on Trees, is a collection of original children’s music inspired by Melinda’s experiences as both a professional artist and the mother of two.
Passionate about education and mentorship, Melinda teaches, performs, and choreographs internationally at tap festivals, universities, and dance institutions. She has served on the faculty at the Colburn School in Los Angeles for the past 15 years, done guest teaching at institutions like Harvard and UCLA, and headlined tap dance festivals in Tokyo, Sydney, and Dubrovnik.
Committed to presenting tap dance in innovative theatrical settings while honoring its authentic roots and musical heritage, Melinda continues to create work that bridges tradition and contemporary performance. Whether on stage, on screen, in the recording studio, or in the classroom, she is dedicated to expanding the possibilities of tap dance for audiences of all ages. Her original choreography, performances, and collaborations can also be found on her YouTube channel and Instagram.