Melissa Larson began dancing at the early age of three in the Treasure Valley. Throughout her formative years, she trained at multiple studios across the area, seeking out the highest quality instruction in a wide range of dance styles. She developed a deep love for performing and competing, participating in both local and national competitions, as well as numerous dance conventions.
A graduate of Capital High School and captain of the Golden Girls Dance Team, Melissa continued her dance education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography and Teaching. During her time at UNLV, she discovered a passion for modern dance and creating original performance works. One of her choreographed pieces was selected for the College Dance Festival in Tucson, Arizona.
After college, Melissa moved to Chicago, where she taught at a local studio in Wilmette and continued her professional development by training at the Gus Giordano Dance School and taking classes at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, further refining her technique and artistry.
In 2001, Melissa returned to Boise and married her husband, Kristopher Larson. She resumed teaching tap, jazz, modern, and improvisation at several local studios. In 2007, she and Kim Machado co-founded Elevated Dance Project in Eagle, Idaho. Since then, Melissa has cherished the opportunity to share her passion and creativity with young dancers. She is deeply committed to helping her students grow—not only in their technical abilities and movement quality—but also as confident, expressive individuals. Watching them evolve into strong, capable young adults remains one of the most rewarding aspects of her work.
She is also a proud mother of two daughters, Ashley and Riley, both of whom have been actively involved in dance since they were very little!
