Melissa Stokes is an award-winning choreographer, nationally-ranked dance studio owner, and experienced dance instructor. Her studio, Shooting Stars School of the Performing Arts, based in Clermont, Florida, is now ranked in the Top 50 in the nation by the Federation of Dance. Melissa has helped launch the professional dance careers of dozens of students who have found success with “So You Think You Can Dance”, Cirque du Soleil, Radio City Music Hall, Disney, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and in other notable professional dance companies.

Combining a unique gift for visual creativity with a commitment to impeccable technique, Melissa continues to craft dances that have established her as one of the strongest choreographers on the competition circuit. Currently, she holds Starpower’s “Choreographer of the Year” title. Throughout her 25-year career in the dance business, her dancers have won numerous National Overalls from Starpower, Nexstar, Showstoppers, Starquest, NYCDA Alliance, and Star Systems as well as the “Future Star Award”, which takes into consideration dancers from all over the nation. Shooting Stars is also a three-time winner of Starpower’s coveted Victory Cup Award and a recipient of the FDC Studio Excellence Award.

Originally from Paducah, Kentucky, Melissa was raised in the dance world by her mom, who has been a well-respected dance instructor for over 50 years. By the age of 8, she was a National Overall winner for baton-twirling and continued to achieve national titles until the age of 13, when she began to focus on dance. In the years that followed, she spent considerable time in New York and Los Angeles, training under the tutelage of such recognized instructors as Mia Michaels and Travis Wall, as well as training at the prestigious DuPrees Dance Academy, The Edge Performing Arts, and the Broadway Dance Center.
In 1991, Melissa opened the doors to Shooting Stars with about 30 students. Today, the studio is thriving with over 200 students and a second studio that opened in January 2012 in Southwest Orlando. Her studio offers dance training for ages 3 to 19 in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, musical theater and hip-hop. Her commitment to excellence, and to the physical, emotional, and spiritual development of each individual dancer, has kept area parents coming back for more – with students commuting from all over the Central Florida area to attend classes.

“I love to see the kids grow and develop and go from one level of proficiency to the next,” she says. “It’s like watching a butterfly come out of a cocoon. Through commitment and hard work, our kids achieve a level of excellence and artistry that will serve them well no matter where life takes them.”

Recently, another long-time student was crowned “Miss America’s Outstanding Teen” in the Miss America pageant system. Last year, her younger sister and fellow Shooting Stars dancer preceded her as Miss Florida’s Outstanding Teen.

With a thorough style of teaching and a drive for excellence, Melissa believes that her students will be well-prepared to achieve their personal goals with grace and character – having not only been trained in all areas of dance but trained for all areas of life as well.