Born in Toulouse, France, Melvin Lawovi began dancing in a small studio in his hometown. At age 10, he joined VM Ballet School, under the direction of Vinciane Ghyssens and Matthew Madsen. In 2015, he appeared on Season 2 of the French television show Prodiges and won the Golden Award. Lawovi has participated in many international competitions including in Grasse, Cannes, Biarritz, and Toulouse, winning gold medals and special prizes in each. He participated in the IBStage International Summer Program and Gala and spent summers training at The Royal Ballet School and Varna International Ballet Competition. In 2018, Lawovi finished first place at the Youth America Grand Prix semi-finals in Barcelona.
Lawovi joined American Ballet Theatre Studio Company in January 2018, became an apprentice with the main Company in December 2019, and joined the corps de ballet in September 2021. His repertoire includes Bottom in The Dream, Partner to the French Ballerina in Gala Performance, the Russian Dance and Mother Ginger in Alexei Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker, a Satyr in The Seasons, Puss-in-Boots in Susan Jaffe’s The Sleeping Beauty, Act III, the Neapolitan Dance in Swan Lake, the Clown in The Winter’s Tale, Evans and “Becomings” in Woolf Works, and featured roles in Bach Partita, Bernstein in a Bubble, La Follia Variations, and Mercurial Son. He created the Ever Watcher in Crime and Punishment, a leading role in Lifted, and a featured role in Indestructible Light.
Lawovi has created three works for ABT Incubator, the Company’s choreographic workshop: Soirée Nocturne (2021), Concerto for Five (2024), and Piano Pieces (2025).