Melody Mennite Walsh, native of Santa Cruz, California, began her ballet training with Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and Pacific Northwest Ballet, and attended summer intensives with Suzanne Farrell. At 13, she joined Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy and later Houston Ballet II on full scholarship. Mennite joined Houston Ballet as an apprentice in 2001, advancing to principal by 2008.

She has toured internationally and performed numerous leading roles in classical ballets, such as The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake, as well as modern works by renowned choreographers. Stanton Welch created several roles for her, including in The Nutcracker and Marie. Justin Peck also created roles for her in Reflections and Under the Folding Sky.

In 2015, Mennite co-founded REACH, a choreographic project supporting arts education. She has choreographed works for Houston Ballet and continues to guest perform with various companies. Besides ballet, Mennite is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, pianist, horseback rider, roller skater, and actress.