New World School of the Arts (NWSA) college dance alumna (BFA 2004), Melissa Toogood, has been appointed dean and director of New York City’s The Juilliard School, Dance Division, effective July 1, 2025.
“I feel humbled and inspired by the opportunity to join the remarkable Juilliard community in uplifting the next generation of artists,” said Melissa Toogood. “Together with the incredible faculty and staff, I am committed to continuing the development of a program that honors our lineage while embracing curiosity and innovation.” – The New York Times.
The selection of the Bessie Award–winning dancer, choreographer, and educator came after a comprehensive search, explained New World School of the Arts dance alumnus (1990), Robert Battle – dance world luminary and Search committee member. The past artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater shared this about his NWSA dance peer, “I have witnessed Melissa grow since she was a student at New World and watched her develop and her star rise. She is a unique voice in the dance world, and I know that she will bring her quiet strength and artistic integrity to the students at Juilliard.”
Damian Woetzel, president of the Juilliard School, called her “one of the extraordinary artists of our time” and said: “I’ve watched her stage, I’ve watched her teach, I’ve watched her develop dancers at all levels, but really focusing on the younger dancers. And I have seen her develop her own leadership in that way that is inspiring.” – The New York Times.
Mary Lisa Burns, dean of dance at New World School of the Arts, remembered Toogood’s visit to her alma mater in downtown Miami as a guest artist, where she staged repertory by Merce Cunningham on NWSA’s college dancers. “She was remarkable in her ability to convey that challenging material with warmth, care, and creativity. Our students had the privilege of sharing the stage with her at the 92nd St Y’s Harkness Dance Festival performances during the centennial of Mr. Cunningham birth, as well, and her dancing was an inspiration to all.
“Melissa has reserves of skill and curiosity about dance, as well as a broad perspective of the art of dance, based on the variety of professional work she has done with such distinction, and will bring this depth of expertise to her work at Juilliard,” continued dean Burns. “She has enormous dedication to the field of dance and to her peers and colleagues, and I’m excited for all that she will contribute to this new role.”
Recruited from Australia by Daniel Lewis, New World School of the Arts founding dean of dance, to attend the college dance division, Melissa Toogood’s professional trajectory as an educator was sparked during her early days as an NWSA dance student when dean Lewis floated the deanship idea by her.
“Dean Lewis said to me that I’d make a good dean one day,” recalled Toogood. “He was referring to the fact that in addition to my deep commitment to artistry, I also had a good sense of practicality and ability to see the big picture. If he hadn’t planted that seed in the back of my mind all those years ago, I may not have had the confidence to apply for this position. Part of what made him a great dean was his ability to make us believe in ourselves. As an educator and rehearsal director, that is a characteristic I’ve worked hard to emulate.”
“At NWSA I gained the confidence to really show myself in class and rehearsal which helped me mature and grow as a performer.”
Melissa Toogood
“The program I started at NWSA is first preparing a dancer to be in a dance company,” said Daniel Lewis. “Some dancers become teachers after a long career as a performer and choreographer. These make the best teachers. Only a few have the creativity and ability to see beyond themselves and the intellectual ability to see what is best for others in the art of dance. These become leaders. Melissa was one of these dancers. When I picked up Melissa from the airport straight from Australia, I already knew she was a beautiful dancer from the video audition she did. I knew she had what it would take to be a major voice in the dance world. She was not only a dancer but an intellectual thinker.”
Toogood first learned about New World School of the Arts upon her visit to the school during the National High School Dance Festival before she was even old enough to audition. “I loved the atmosphere; it oozed creative energy. I wanted to be a modern dancer but was always committed to my ballet training. Like Juilliard, New World emphasized both, so it felt like a perfect fit,” she said, drawing parallels between NWSA and Juilliard. “I also knew there were some full scholarships available without which I would not have been able to pursue a degree in dance. That is why I am committed in my new role to work with president Woetzel to secure support for Juilliard’s initiative to go tuition free.”
Reminiscing about her time at NWSA, Toogood recalled the time spent with her peers as one the most cherished memories of her college career. “It (NWSA) was a rigorous program that allowed me valuable time to explore, experiment and develop a sense of who I was. And ultimately the kind of artist I wanted to become. I not only learned a lot from the faculty and guest artists, but also from my peers. There was a genuine desire to lift each other up and celebrate each other’s growth. It wasn’t limited to the (NWSA) dance department. There were a lot of student-led collaborations and sharing sessions across disciplines that dean Lewis supported. That sense of community, collaboration and inclusivity has supported me throughout my career and is a core value shared by the Juilliard School.”
Melissa Toogood will relocate to New York City with her husband and 7-year-old son to assume her new role as Juilliard’s director and dean of dance.
Juilliard also announced that New World School of the Arts dance alumnus (2000), Jamar Roberts, celebrated choreographer and former Alvin Ailey dancer, will join the Dance Division as the Distinguished Visiting Faculty and serve as an Arnhold Creative Associate at Large.
Melissa Toogood is an award winning, internationally recognized Dancer and Master Teacher, hailed as “superlative” by The New York Times. She was a member of the esteemed Merce Cunningham Dance Company. One of the final few who worked directly with the dance legend, she has taught Cunningham Technique internationally since 2007. Melissa is a 2013 & 2015 Merce Cunningham Fellow and an official Stager for the Merce Cunningham Trust. She continues to work closely with the choreographer Pam Tanowitz, whom she danced with for 18 years. For 12 of those years, she served as Rehearsal Director, and Artistic Associate. Melissa worked with Tanowitz as Assistant to the Choreographer on new creations for The Australian Ballet, Ballet Austin, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, The Martha Graham Dance Company, the Juilliard School, Fall for Dance Festival, the Royal Ballet London, the Vail Dance Festival and others. Melissa formulated and managed masterclasses and workshops taught by herself and the company, emphasizing Tanowitz’s unique style and signature choreographic practices. Dance Magazine named her in their 25 to Watch in 2014 and featured her in the inaugural episode of Behind the Curtain, 2015. Melissa has been a contributor for publications such as Dance Magazine, Dance Enthusiast, and Modern Painters, and hosted David Vaughn’s The Dance Historian Is In at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 2020. More about Melissa Toogood.
New World School of the Arts dance training is conservatory-based, grounded in classical ballet, and incorporating dances of different cultures and newer forms. Supporting studies are in choreography, music, dance history, anatomy and kinesiology, dance on camera, movement analysis and dance production. NWSA is recognized internationally for the success and artistry of its professional alumni, for its distinguished professional faculty, outstanding dance curriculum, productive relationship with many international and national ballet and modern dance companies, the multi-cultural nature of our faculty and student body, and excellent facilities provided for dance. Information about the NWSA dance division at 305-237-3684.
Some notable New World School of the Arts dance alumni include Robert Battle, Uri Sands, Jamar Roberts, Yusha Maria Sorzano, Melissa Toogood, Mariya Dashkina Maddux, Yara Travieso, Lloyd Knight, Rosie Herrera, Jacoby Pruitt, Justin Rapaport, Gaby Diaz, Johan Rivera, John Harnage, among many others.
A Florida center of excellence in the visual and performing arts, New World School of the Arts is an educational partnership of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami Dade College, and University of Florida. NWSA provides a comprehensive program of artistic, creative, and academic development through a curriculum that reflects our community and the rich multicultural state of Florida. Through our partners NWSA confers the high school diploma, Associate of Arts degree, and Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees in programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance, Music, Theater and Art & Design. NWSA’s rigorous eight-year curriculum and conservatory-style teaching has empowered students in our community and our nation to become leaders in the arts for more three decades. Information about New World School of the Arts at 305-237-3135 or nwsa.mdc.edu.
Located at Lincoln Center in New York City, Juilliard offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, drama (acting and playwriting), and music (classical, jazz, historical performance, and vocal arts). More than 800 artists from 42 states and 50 countries and regions are enrolled in Juilliard’s College Division, where they appear in more than 800 annual performances in the school’s five theater.