Kylene Richards

Born in Fremont, California, Kylene followed her mother and sister’s dancing footsteps. At age five she took her first class, where she discovered a passion that would become an everlasting part of her being.

As early as age six, Kylene began competing in national competitions and won numerous championship awards. She was selected to perform in her city’s annual Young Artists Showcase multiple years and danced in ballet productions including; The Nutcracker, Carnival of the Animals, and Creation of the World. In high school Kylene was chosen as a performing arts ambassador to tour Japan promoting the importance of arts education in classrooms all over the country.

Though Kylene grew up training in ballet, jazz, tap, pointe, and contemporary styles, in her late teenage years she discovered a new love for Tahitian dancing. Anxious to continue the expansion of her dance vocabulary, Kylene moved to southern California to attend UCLA as a World Arts and Cultures major.

While in college, Kylene has experimented with dance from many backgrounds. Her sophomore year she was a member of the UCLA cheerleading/dance team, where she had the opportunity to perform in world-renowned venues such as The Rose Bowl and Staples Center. As a junior, Kylene studied abroad at the Lorenzo De’Medici Arts Institute in Florence, Italy, where she worked with choreographers from all over Europe.

After receiving her B.A. in 2008, Kylene became a teacher’s aide and quickly learned that she was destined to work in a classroom. Currently, Kylene is a graduate student at CSUN. This spring she will receive a multiple subject teaching credential to pursue a career in elementary education.

Dance has led Kylene to life changing experiences. She has developed a love for the arts that will last forever and only hopes that her students will have a life filled with just as much artistic magic.