Melrose Youth Ballet
MYB Staff & Board of Directors
Travers King, Artistic Co-Director
Travers King is a resident of Hudson Massachusetts; he has been studying theatre and dance for as long as he can remember. He began his education at various schools including Hudson Dance Academy, Center Stage Dance Studio, and Ms. Kim’s School of Dance. In 2009, Travers received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance at The University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he concentrated on Contemporary and Ballet Techniques. Travers also studied at The London Contemporary Dance School, one of the most prestigious dance conservatories in the United Kingdom. Not only is he an award winning choreographer but he has performed works by world renowned choreographers including Paul Taylor, Murray Louis, Bebe Miller, Siobhan Davies, Shapiro and Smith, Gregg Lizenbery, and Jeff Rubudal. Before returning to the mainland in 2011, Travers was working professionally with Honolulu Dance Theatre, Ballet Hawaii, and teaching for The Movement Center: Creating good people through excellent education in the performing arts. Other Credits include, Honolulu Broadway Baby’s: A Miracle on Bethel Street, 42nd Street, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Chicago, Red Hot and Cole, and Meet Me In St. Louis. Travers was also the Assistant Director for Melrose Youth Ballet’s 2016 The Nutcracker. Currently Travers is the General Manager of Northern Lights Entertainment, and Director of The House of Dance in Sudbury.
Andrea Fanikos, Artistic Co-Director
Andrea Fanikos is a Massachusetts native and MYB alum. Growing up, Andrea trained formally in a wide spectrum of dance genres including: ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, tap, and Latin ballroom. She studied with the Dance Studio of Wakefield for fifteen years while simultaneously performing with the Melrose Youth Ballet. From 2011-2013, she toured with Excel in Motion dance convention as an Elite Dancer assisting prestigious headliners such as So You Think You Can Dance Stars: tWitch, Lauren Froderman, and Alison Holker. Andrea continued her dance career throughout college as a member of the Boston University’s nationally ranked Division 1 dance team. During her time on the BU Dance Team they won two National Championship titles for Division 1 Jazz and Hip Hop. Andrea is also a former member of Boston Contemporary Company, Boston Community Dance Project, with whom she performed as a principal dancer in their repertory shows, Visualize and Internalize. Some of her recent performances include: the Liberty Hotel’s Illuminate Gala, Wayfair commercials, Boston Fashion Week’s kickoff party, and Boston’s Contemporary Dance Festival. More than anything Andrea loves sharing her passion for the art of dance with others and is excited to return to MYB for her first year as Co-Director of The Nutcracker!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ruthann Puppo, Co-President & Treasurer
Margaret Palmisano, Co-President & Costume Mistress
Mary Boyle, Board Member & Clothing Line Director
Michelle Carson, Board Member & Volunteer Photographer