MELODY (Stanert) MENDOZA
Executive & Artistic Director, Resident Choreographer

Ms. Mendoza began her dance training at the age of 4 under Edmund & Irene Novak (Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo), who instilled in her a love of telling stories through dance. She continued studying ballet, later adding jazz and modern, at studios including The Rock School West, The Dance Center, and Koresh School of Dance. Beginning liturgical dance at age 9, Ms. Mendoza spent many years developing an understanding of using dance as a way to honor God under the instruction of Valerie Henry and Gwen Prestwood through the Good Samaritan Dance Ministry.

Her love of choreography began while still in high school, and continued to grow stronger while a dance major at Palm Beach Atlantic University, studying primarily with Eileen Hebron (American Ballet Theatre), and Jinyoung Lee Hanley. While in college, Melody dove into Theatre Dance, interning with Theatre Arts Center in New York City where she worked with Broadway performers as they taught choreography to summer intensive students.

Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude from PBAU in 2012, she formed a small dance company with Donna FitzPatrick where they choreographed two contemporary, faith based, ballets utilizing ballet, tap and jazz to share stories of Christ’s grace and truth. Ms. Mendoza continues to study dance, both by taking class in NYC (primarily at STEPS on Broadway) or by maintaining her Pre-Primary – Level 5 certification of American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum.

Melody has worked locally as a musical theatre dance teacher and choreographer at SALT Performing Arts and West Chester Studios for the Performing Arts. In the fall of 2015 she was asked to introduce dance into the curriculum at Delaware County Christian School for their SAIL program and enjoyed teaching classical dance, world dance, and theatre dance to the middle and high school students. She currently is a dance instructor at Time To Leap, and guest teaches throughout Southeastern PA. Occasionally you can find Ms. Mendoza on the stage; some of her favorite past performances include: West Side Story, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Oklahoma.

Using stories and art to share Christianity is her passion, so she started writing ideas for what became Glorify Performing Arts back in 2013. In 2018, she launched the company and loves the many opportunities she has to share the love of God through the arts as the Artistic Director of Glorify Performing Arts.