Biography
Melody Squire began her training in the USA at the Dance Arts Center followed by Point Park College’s prestigious Conservatory for the Performing Arts and culminating at London Studio Centre where she received a BA Hons in Dance/Theatre with a concentration in Contemporary Dance.
Upon graduation, she made her professional debut alongside Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins and Will Young in the feature film Mrs. Henderson Presents, in which she played Minnie, one of the ten dancing and singing Millerettes. She also recorded a soundtrack to accompany the film. A diverse career has followed covering many spectrums of the industry. Melody has appeared in numerous music videos for artists such as James Blunt, Ida Maria, Madonna and 100 Single Ladies, a pop promo viral for Trident featured on Beyonce’s “I AM …” tour. She has travelled to India to work with choreographer Ganesh Hedge, appearing in the Bollywood film The Singh is King, a stadium tour with Shar Ruhk Khan, and as a featured dancer/soloist in the Zee Cine Awards (Bollywood Oscars.) Most recently, Melody appeared in Campus, a new comedy series produced by Victoria Pile which will air on Channel 4 in 2011.
Melody is also an accomplished choreographer. Her versatility and ability to bring out the individuality in each artist makes her a valuable asset. Her passion is contagious and she continues to inspire performers and students alike teaching workshops across Europe and the USA. Her most recent credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, UK, the new musical Dolly Daydream staring Abi Titmuss at Barons Court Theatre, West End Bares Aids and HIV charity performance directed by Jerry Mitchell and featuring numerous talented performers including John Barrymore, Summer Strallen and Adam Garcia . Melody is also a talent judge for Starpower International.
Melody is the founder, choreographer and artistic director of Sol Dans Company. Since it’s formation, Sol Dans has performed at some of the UK's most prestigious platforms including Resolution! at the Robin Howard Dance Theatre, Lilian Baylis Theatre with Big Dance and the Cochrane Theatre with Cloud Dance Festival .
Upon graduation, she made her professional debut alongside Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins and Will Young in the feature film Mrs. Henderson Presents, in which she played Minnie, one of the ten dancing and singing Millerettes. She also recorded a soundtrack to accompany the film. A diverse career has followed covering many spectrums of the industry. Melody has appeared in numerous music videos for artists such as James Blunt, Ida Maria, Madonna and 100 Single Ladies, a pop promo viral for Trident featured on Beyonce’s “I AM …” tour. She has travelled to India to work with choreographer Ganesh Hedge, appearing in the Bollywood film The Singh is King, a stadium tour with Shar Ruhk Khan, and as a featured dancer/soloist in the Zee Cine Awards (Bollywood Oscars.) Most recently, Melody appeared in Campus, a new comedy series produced by Victoria Pile which will air on Channel 4 in 2011.
Melody is also an accomplished choreographer. Her versatility and ability to bring out the individuality in each artist makes her a valuable asset. Her passion is contagious and she continues to inspire performers and students alike teaching workshops across Europe and the USA. Her most recent credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, UK, the new musical Dolly Daydream staring Abi Titmuss at Barons Court Theatre, West End Bares Aids and HIV charity performance directed by Jerry Mitchell and featuring numerous talented performers including John Barrymore, Summer Strallen and Adam Garcia . Melody is also a talent judge for Starpower International.
Melody is the founder, choreographer and artistic director of Sol Dans Company. Since it’s formation, Sol Dans has performed at some of the UK's most prestigious platforms including Resolution! at the Robin Howard Dance Theatre, Lilian Baylis Theatre with Big Dance and the Cochrane Theatre with Cloud Dance Festival .
“Outstanding Choreography”, NYC Dance Alliance, 2006
Reviews:
"Sol Dans, on the other hand, is a company bursting with ideas, and Melody Squire showed in Groundlings that she is a choreographer to be reckoned with. She was born in Chicago, and it shows, with jazz influences running deep in her vocabulary – Groundlings is American energy as we like it, physical and daring. The six dancers come out as tribal creatures, at once birds and panthers, their wild hair and painted bodies an indication of the form of ritual to come. The choreography hurls them into playful, energetic groups, and is only interrupted by the ribbons of cling film hanging around the stage – giving us the strange, beautiful image of animals suddenly trapped. Watch out for the future choreographic developments of Sol Dans – their escapism is very welcome."-Laura Cappelle
"As the stage lights illuminate the space, eight dancers cover the stage for Sol Dans’ Ebullition. As the music fills the room an electrifying and vibrant burst of movement begins. The energy from the dancers is infectious and is continuous throughout the piece. Choreographer Melody Squire’s inspiration from Greek mythology and architecture is evident in her choreography as throughout the piece her dancers create visually beautiful, statuesque imagery. Squire’s jazz background is evident as the dancers’ movement elevates around the stage to create uplifting, energetic performance." -Susanne Allen
"Choreographer Melody Squire of Sol Dans has yet again produced top-quality work with her new piece Ebuillition." -Debbie Shine
"Abeyance, choreographed by American choreographer Melody Squire, is a beautiful lyrical jazz piece set in two parts. Seductive and sensual, the technical dancers convey the complexities of modern romance with envious strength and emotion." -Jennifer Teale
Dolly Day Dream: "...exceptionally well choreographed for such a small stage by Melody Squire" -Vicky York
Sol Dans Company’s Grimm Times, choreographed by Melody Squire, fused an array of styles such as physical theatre, contemporary and hip hop dance in an exciting number that depicted the struggles of individuals living in a deprived economic climate. With breathtaking lifts and balances set to a pounding dub-step inspired score, this was a refreshing insightful work. --Rachael Nanyonjo
Sol Dans continued the momentum with an intelligent, tongue-in-cheek mashup of children’s stories including Rumplestiltskin and Red Riding Hood. Grimm Times effortlessly blended the best of hip-hop, contemporary and jazz movement with stylish costuming and an effective ‘scene by scene’ structure to create something wholly innovative and highly entertaining…Sol Dans seem a company capable of exciting things if they continue to push and refine their very unique offering. – Lesley Perez
“Choreography by Melody Squire captures the dance styles of the time and on
a tiny stage produces some well honed and slick routines. ” Philip Herbert for
Remotegoat
Cloud Dance Festival saw a welcome return of contemporary jazz company Sol Dans to which founder and choreographer Melody Squire never seems to fail to reap energy across the stage in abundance. In broaching the subject of our economic downfall, Squire uses modern day fairytale to play out the demise of a community in Grimm Times. Her choreography is fabulously unique, mesmerising imagery fills the stage again, repeating the beauty we saw in her last work for Cloud Dance Festival, Ebullition. – Susanne Allen
"Sol Dans, on the other hand, is a company bursting with ideas, and Melody Squire showed in Groundlings that she is a choreographer to be reckoned with. She was born in Chicago, and it shows, with jazz influences running deep in her vocabulary – Groundlings is American energy as we like it, physical and daring. The six dancers come out as tribal creatures, at once birds and panthers, their wild hair and painted bodies an indication of the form of ritual to come. The choreography hurls them into playful, energetic groups, and is only interrupted by the ribbons of cling film hanging around the stage – giving us the strange, beautiful image of animals suddenly trapped. Watch out for the future choreographic developments of Sol Dans – their escapism is very welcome."-Laura Cappelle
"As the stage lights illuminate the space, eight dancers cover the stage for Sol Dans’ Ebullition. As the music fills the room an electrifying and vibrant burst of movement begins. The energy from the dancers is infectious and is continuous throughout the piece. Choreographer Melody Squire’s inspiration from Greek mythology and architecture is evident in her choreography as throughout the piece her dancers create visually beautiful, statuesque imagery. Squire’s jazz background is evident as the dancers’ movement elevates around the stage to create uplifting, energetic performance." -Susanne Allen
"Choreographer Melody Squire of Sol Dans has yet again produced top-quality work with her new piece Ebuillition." -Debbie Shine
"Abeyance, choreographed by American choreographer Melody Squire, is a beautiful lyrical jazz piece set in two parts. Seductive and sensual, the technical dancers convey the complexities of modern romance with envious strength and emotion." -Jennifer Teale
Dolly Day Dream: "...exceptionally well choreographed for such a small stage by Melody Squire" -Vicky York
Sol Dans Company’s Grimm Times, choreographed by Melody Squire, fused an array of styles such as physical theatre, contemporary and hip hop dance in an exciting number that depicted the struggles of individuals living in a deprived economic climate. With breathtaking lifts and balances set to a pounding dub-step inspired score, this was a refreshing insightful work. --Rachael Nanyonjo
Sol Dans continued the momentum with an intelligent, tongue-in-cheek mashup of children’s stories including Rumplestiltskin and Red Riding Hood. Grimm Times effortlessly blended the best of hip-hop, contemporary and jazz movement with stylish costuming and an effective ‘scene by scene’ structure to create something wholly innovative and highly entertaining…Sol Dans seem a company capable of exciting things if they continue to push and refine their very unique offering. – Lesley Perez
“Choreography by Melody Squire captures the dance styles of the time and on
a tiny stage produces some well honed and slick routines. ” Philip Herbert for
Remotegoat
Cloud Dance Festival saw a welcome return of contemporary jazz company Sol Dans to which founder and choreographer Melody Squire never seems to fail to reap energy across the stage in abundance. In broaching the subject of our economic downfall, Squire uses modern day fairytale to play out the demise of a community in Grimm Times. Her choreography is fabulously unique, mesmerising imagery fills the stage again, repeating the beauty we saw in her last work for Cloud Dance Festival, Ebullition. – Susanne Allen