Melinda is the recipient of the 100LUX+MAI Joint Support Fellowship 2023-2024. Melinda will take part of the annual 2023-2024 Les Soirées 100Lux programming.
Born in Singapore, and growing up in the prairies of Calgary, Alberta, Melinda “Melofunk” Yeoh has trained in Locking for 12 years. A member of the LockUnity collective and Ingenious Lockers crew, she fell in love with Locking when she went to the Elite Locking Camp in Las Vegas in 2011. There, she had the opportunity to learn from pioneers and first-generation Lockers such as Scoo B Doo, Damita Jo, and Fluky Luke who were present in the scene when it was created in the late 60s/ early 70s. From then on, she returned to Calgary and tried to grow the local Locking scene little by little through performances, classes, and sessions. In 2014, she moved to Montreal to train with LockUnity and grow as a Locker, and since then, she’s competed in various Locking jams locally and internationally such as Bust A Move, Under Pressure, Unlock The Funk, Vancouver Street Dance Festival, Lock City, and KOD. In addition to competing, she taught Locking classes in Montreal, and choreographed and performed in Locking performances in jams and on stages like 100Lux Festival and Breakin’ Convention.
Melinda seeks to consistently develop and find ways to grow her Locking expression and artistry by training in other dance styles such as Tap Dance and Lindy Hop while at the same time continuing to train with the LockUnity collective.
Tangente thanks the Caisse Desjardins de la Culture and the SAQ, two great heroines who faithfully contribute to the success of Tangente’s activities.
Photo credit: Melika Delz