Melanie Lalande

Currently serving as Creative Director for Lab of Misfits, curating performances/talks for TED2019 Vancouver and Oslo Freedom Forum. Creative Consultant for C:LAB/Nextasy a Cirque du Soleil innovative division. Her mandate was to create immersive experiences and pop-up activations. Melanie Lalande served for 7 years as the Artistic Director for The Beatles'™ LOVE™ by Cirque du Soleil® at The Mirage in Las Vegas. She oversaw 68 artists from 19 different countries as well as a staff of 14 who operate the production daily.  She was in charge of all of the casting, performer integrations, and maintaining the artistic quality of the show. In 2016, in celebration of LOVE’s 10th anniversary, Melanie, along with the show’s Director, implemented a number of changes to the show. These changes included new costumes, choreography, new imagery and technology along with new music to make it “Bigger, Brighter and Bolder.”  As this show was updated, Melanie served as producer of a documentary film following the process entitled All Together Again. She also served as the Creation Artistic Director for the Cirque du Soleil touring show, TOTEM™.  While with the show, she toured North America as well as parts of Europe. Prior to TOTEM™, she was the Artistic Director for KOOZA™, another touring show for Cirque du Soleil, which toured North America. Melanie has been the Associate Director for two performances of One Night for One Drop in Las Vegas. The first performance was held in the "O" Theatre at Bellagio and the second one in the The Beatles™ LOVE™ Theatre performed at The Mirage. Melanie is the founder of Mayzsoul Inc., a dance company which performs in Washington D.C and New York City. She choreographed “The New Jazz Philosophy” tour with “The Legendary Roots Crew”, and “The National Pepsi Stuff” tour. Melanie ran the dance department at Fairfax Academy for Communications and the Arts. She taught dance in her community and abroad for over 20 years. She has her BFA in Dance from George Mason University.