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FAIRMOUNT DANCE THEATRE
Melissa Gruca - Artistic Director

FDT DIRECTOR

Melissa Gruca (FDT Artistic Director)
Melissa directs the Fairmount Dance Theatre under the direction of Libby Lubinger. FDT is Fairmount's youth based dance company, which has been gaining in popularity every year. Melissa runs a curriculum of dance based on ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary dance, and pointe for students aged 4-18.

Melissa Gruca is originally from Alma Michigan. She began her dance training under the direction of Linda Lee Abbott at age 4. In May of 2001 she graduated from Alma College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance. There she studied ballet under the guidance of Tom Morris. While attending college she was a member of the Alma College Dance Company.

Through her company experience, she got to work with such artists as Laurie Eisenhower of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, and Daniel Furlong of the San Francisco Opera. She was a featured soloist in Eisenhower’s ballet Catharsis and Furlong’s ballet Hermit Songs. While attending college she taught ballet, tap, and jazz extensively at DuHadway Dance Dimensions. There she worked with children of all ages and levels. She had the privilege of working with and choreographing for the DDD Performance Troupe. This troupe performed her work at festivals and competitions across Michigan.

During college she was also a member of the Cecchetti Council of America. Through the CCA she completed four levels of student ballet exams and level one of ballet teaching exams.

While in Cleveland Melissa has studied ballet under the direction of Richard Dickinson and modern dance with Joan Meggit of Antaeus Dance and Michael Medcalf of Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre. Currently she is studying with Bill Wade on Inlet Dance Theatre. Melissa has attended master classes with such well know artists as Trisha Brown, Sean Curry, and Susan McGuire of Paul Taylor II.

Heather Kanastab recent winner of a Joffrey Ballet Scholarship and Christianne Beffel; both of whom joined Dance Caravan in 2006!