Quick Facts
Biography
Melody Mennite is an American professional ballet dancer who currently performs as a principal dancer with the Houston Ballet. She previously danced with the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre.
Born in Santa Cruz, California, Mennite trained at Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet. At the age of 13, she began studies at Houston Ballet's Ben Stevenson Academy. In 2000, at age 16, she spent one year on a full scholarship with Houston Ballet II. She also toured in Austria with Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre.
Mennite joined the Houston Ballet in 2001, and was promoted to principal dancer in 2008. She appears frequently as a guest artist and also performs with Whim W'Him in Seattle. She was named one of "25 to Watch" by Dance Magazine in 2007.
Formerly known as Melody Herrera or Melody Mennite Herrera, she was married to fellow Houson Ballet dancer Randy Herrera. They have one son, Isaac, born February 2004.