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Mel Johnson is a native of Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York. Major Johnson was a ballet student of Lillian Moore, Muriel Stuart, Vitale Fokine, Thomas Armour and Martha Mahr. He danced with the State Ballet of Rhode Island and the Miami Ballet.  He was a member of the Joffrey Ballet and also served as secretary to Robert Joffrey.

Mel at 20, in a studio publicity shot, holding a flare in his right hand. (The flare was his role of The Player King, in the State Ballet of Rhode Island's Hamlet, in which Anton Dolin was Claudius.)

Mel Johnson studied English at the State University of New York, but the language managed to escape unharmed.  A decorated veteran of the regular United States Air Force,  he is currently employed by the NY State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and derives his title from present service in the 124th NYS Volunteer Infantry, an Historic Military Command of that state.

Major Mel in rehearsal.
"All right, all you Wilis - do it again! And this time, you'll get it right or ELSE!"

[Actually, Major Mel Johnson in full regalia in his nondancing role as a Civil War re-enactor.]