About MEL

Melissa Adao, known in the dance community as Bgirl MEL, is a San Diego–based dancer, choreographer, and educator with over 20 years of experience in the arts. She holds an MA in Dance from California State University Long Beach and a BA in Dance from San Diego State University. Currently an Adjunct Professor at Grossmont College, MEL has dedicated her career to empowering others through movement, teaching, and storytelling.

At age 37, she began her breaking journey, defying expectations and proving that you’re never too old and it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. This has become a central theme in her work—encouraging dancers of all ages to embrace confidence, joy, and resilience through movement. Her performance and choreography work has been featured across Southern California and in collaborations with global brands such as Nike, Google, Igloo, Red Bull, Bacardi Rum, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and Ajumma EXP. As a respected figure in both academia and street dance culture, MEL has built programs like The Confident Dancers, which helps adults over 30 build skills and confidence in dance spanning across 11 countries globally, and is the Vice President of High Level Dance Society, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that builds free education and community initiatives such as the Breaking Boundaries Series. She continues to make her mark as a performer, educator, and advocate for empowerment through dance.