Hi, I’m Natalia Nieves-Melchor, a Puerto Rican choreographer, dancer, and educator based in New York City. I’ve performed and staged work on Tony Award–winning stages, collaborated with some of the most innovative directors and choreographers in the industry, and trained alongside a network of incredibly talented artists.

I’m launching Open The Room – Sponsor a Dancer, a program that celebrates culture, accessibility, and equity in the arts. It’s a movement. It’s a way to make sure that dancers, especially Latinx and BIPOC artists, have the resources, space, and support to continue training, creating, and performing—without going broke to do it.

Dance, choreography, and music are everywhere in our lives—on phones, screens, radios, and stages. Society consumes art daily, yet the artists who create it are rarely given the livable wages, rehearsal space, or professional support they need. I live this reality every day, and I know it’s urgent that we begin to change it.

This initiative will fund:

Class sponsorships, giving dancers access to training and performance opportunities

Rehearsal and prep time, allowing creative research and collaboration

Studio space, providing a home where this work and community can thrive

In this first phase, I’ll begin by supporting my own artist community—the dancers I collaborate with, mentor, and teach. But this is just the beginning. With your support, this initiative can grow into a sustainable platform that opens the room for countless artists and creates a culture of equity, accessibility, and celebration in dance and the arts.

Every gift matters. Whether you give $25, $250, or $1,000, you are directly opening doors for artists and helping build a lasting legacy in NYC’s dance community. This is urgent. This is real. And this is just the start.