Mackenzie Pierson

Mac Melrose was born in San Francisco and grew up in Vermont. As an artist exploring space is important to her and she has lived and worked in Amherst-MA, St. Louis-MO, Oaxaca City-Mexico, Bilbao-Spain, Sarasota-FL, Oakland-CA.

She studied dance at Hampshire College and graduated from Mills College with a BA in Dance Performance and Lighting Design. Work has included being a free lance artist, dancer, model, choreographer, lighting designer, photographer, videographer, set/costume/prop/scenic designer, house/stage manager, personal assistant and archivist for choreographers and photographers.

Growing up in Burlington Vermont, Mac danced at the Flynn in BTV and spent summers studying dance in NJ. During a summer intensive at the American Dance Festival she fell in love with Robert Battle's work. She has had the opportunity to dance in works by Molissa Fenley, WKCollective Wanjiru Kamuyu, Aisan Hoss and Jono Vaughan. She has worked as a manager/assistant for dancers Holley Farmer, Keith Hennessy, Jess Curtis on projects and has done lighting design for the Harvey Milk Festival of Sarasota Florida, and for WAX POET(s) dance company. Mac has worked as manager/technician at: the CounterPULSE Theater, the FoolsFury Festival, Mission Dance Walk, Bay Area Dance SAFEhouse, Joe Goode Annex, Omni Commons, Abrons Arts Center NYC, Gray Area Theater, ODC Theater, Sarasota Opera House, and the Asolo Theater with the Sarasota Ballet. She worked as free lance touring photographer with the band Rev. Sekou and The Holy Ghost.

Mac choreographs dance performance work, usually collaborating with artists or electronic musicians, and is currently working on a series of dance films. She has a passion for making a safe space for queer artists and a platform for LGBTQQIAAP art and process. She can be found at the Milkhaus Art Space in Ferrisburgh Vermont.