Melissa Pasut was born and raised in the United States, where she began her dance training at age seven. She graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa with a degree in Dance Performance, training equally in modern and ballet. She has trained with numerous teachers including Michael Foley, Madame Gabrielle Darvash, Gerri Houlihan, Gretchen Ward Warren, John Parks, Lynne Wimmer, and Jeanne Travers. While in Tampa she worked as a dancer for Moving Current, Gaudere Danza, Dance, Music, Design, and founded her own company Anoikis, with dancer/choreographer Leah Ratliff. As a choreographer for this company, she presented her work annually for three years, and was a guest choreographer for two dance concerts by the St. Petersburg College's dance department company.
While still in the US, she attended and completed massage school, specializing in sports massage. As a licenced massage therapist, she began working mostly with the artistic community and continues her practice in Italy.
In 2005 she moved to Rome to work with Altroteatro under Lucia Latour. In 2007, she began working with Compagnia Laudati Danza in Bologna. Currently she is re-establishing Anoikis, the company she founded in the United States, and has begun collaborations with a number of musicians, in particular with the composer and visual artist John Duncan. Since 2008 she has been collaborating with dancer/choreographer Teri Weikel, and is presently working on a creative movement project. She currently lives and works in Bologna.
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