Our Teachers
THEIR STORIES
Raylene Richardson
Raylene studied ballet as an original student of the Robinvale Ballet Guild under Bruce Morrow, Algeranoff, Michael Anderson and Malcolm Hughes. She furthered her studies at the highly regarded Floyd and B'nay Dance centre in Adelaide, achieving Honours with the Royal Academy of Dancing (London).
Raylene danced with the South Australian Ballet Company before taking the position of Ballet Mistress with the Swan Hill Ballet Guild. She established the Dance Studio in Swan Hill and continues to teach with passion, dedication and commitment. Raylene was awarded the Inaugural cultural achievment award for the Swan Hill Rural City Council and proudly partnered the Woorinen District Primary School in establishing the Swan Hill States Schools Extravaganza which won the Community event of the year in 2014.
Kaiti Blackmore
Kaiti is a qualified Primary School and Special Education teacher who is registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and is teaching locally. She gained her bachelor degree at LaTrobe University Bendigo. Kaiti also has a Certificate 4 in Dance Teaching and Management from the Australian Dance Institute. Kaiti studied at Richardson Dance Studio Swan Hill for 15 years in the styles of Jazz, Hip-Hop, Classical Ballet, Pointe, Contemporary and Funk. Kaiti has been teaching with Raylene for many years and also teaches bridal couples, deb sets and primary school groups. She also taught at the i-Dance studio in Bendigo for 3 years. Kaiti has supplemented her training with short courses at "Dance Factory," "Kelly Aykers Full Time Dance," "Transit Dance" and Jason Colmans "Ministry of Dance" . She has also partaken in classes from "Tas Dance", "NAISDA" , "AUS dance", NICA and "VCE Dance". Kaiti is also qualified with the "Acrobatic Dance Institute."
Jaimee Kiel
Jaimee is a qualified Primary School and Special Education teacher who is registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and is teaching locally. She gained her bachelor degree at LaTrobe University Bendigo. Jaimee is a dance teacher who excells in the field of Hip-Hop. She danced at Richardson Dance Studio for 11 years in the styles of Jazz, Hip-hop, Funk, Contemporary, Ballet and Pointe. She has taught with Raylene and Kaiti for many years and also taught at 'Sharon Saunders School of Dance' in Bendigo. Jaimee has supplemented her training with short courses at "Dance Factory" and Jason Colmans "Ministry of Dance" . She has also taken part in workshops with NICA.
Cara Devereux
Cara is a beautiful teacher with a extremely strong contemporary technique. She has a Cert 4 in Dance Teaching and Management from one of the best contemporary schools in the country, Transit Dance Melbourne, where she studied part time. Cara is passionate about contemporary dance and enjoys choreographing group and solo routines for competitions and recitals. Cara has supplemented her training completing workshops with the National Institute of Circus Arts. She also participated in the Bendigo and Swan Hill Dance Eisteddfods. Cara completed her VCE dance studies in 2016 with top marks.
Victoria DiPalma
Victoria is a beautiful, calm, caring and passionate Pre School dance teacher. She is a past student of Richardson Dance Studio who studied Jazz and Hip Hop with Kaiti at the studio for many years. Victoria has supplemented her training with guest choreographer workshops such as Jason Coleman and Nadia Torense. Victoria was a part of the Richardson Dance Crew since its establishment in 2013. She completed with them for 3 years before graduating in 2015. Victoria now returns to the studio to pass on her love of dance to our smallest students.
Sienna (Cc) Kruger
Cc is our amazing Acro/Circus teacher who danced at RDS for 13 years across all styles. She was also part of the RDS Senior Competition Team. Cc has completed circus teacher training with the National Institute of Circus Arts and has completed many years of Acrobatics training through RDS with the Acrobatic Dance Institute Acrobatic Syllabus. Cc has a kind and caring nature and she loves helping her students achieve goals they have set during the year.
Claudia Gleeson
Claudia’s journey with RDS began at just three years old, training across all styles before becoming a student teacher in her senior years. She was also an original member of the very first RDS Competition Team, helping shape the early years of our comp program. After finishing Year 12, Claudia moved to Melbourne to train full-time at Kelly Aykers Full Time Dance, before later completing a University degree in Law. She now lives in Swan Hill, working locally as a lawyer — and we are so thrilled that her path has led her back home to us. Claudia is incredibly excited to return to RDS, reconnect with the studio that shaped her, and share her passion, knowledge and love of dance with the next generation of RDS dancers.
There is nothing more special than welcoming back our own — past student, past teacher, and forever part of the RDS family
Emmalee Walters
- GUEST TEACHER -
Emmalee is an ex student of the Dance Studio who returns to Swan Hill to offer our students the experience of learning from a professional working dancer and choreographer. Emmalee studied dance with Raylene and Kaiti for 14 years in the styles of Jazz, Hip-Hop, Funk, Ballet, Pointe and Contemporary and taught for the studio for 4 years. After finishing year 12 Emmalee moved to Melbourne after a successful audition for the "Dance Factory" and has completed a Diploma of Dance Performance and a Certificate 4 in Dance Teaching and Management. She is currently hired to teach junior and senior students at numerous dance studios around Melbourne. Emmalee enjoyed her time as the lead choreographer for the up and coming kids group "The Playground Craze" and is now a high school English, Dance and Drama teacher in Melbourne.
Dominic Mezzatesta
- GUEST TEACHER -
Dominic Mezzatesta is an advanced student and teacher who studied RAD Ballet, Contemporary and Jazz with Raylene Richardson at the Robinvale Ballet Guild for 10 years. Dominic taught for the Ballet Guild for 6 years in the styles of Jazz, Ballet, Funk and Hip Hop. Dominic has also danced in Mildura at Mildura Dance Studio Inc. In 2016 Dominic furthered his dance studies at the "Dance Factory" Melbourne, completing a Certificate 3 in Dance Performance. In 2017 he completed his Certificate 4 in Dance Teaching and Management at "Kelly Aykers Full Time Dance Melbourne" and in 2018 he is furthered his Musical Theatre studies at Kelly Aykers. Dominic ran his own dance school called DNM Dance Studio in Robinvale in 2023 and now works full time in Mildura. He returns whenever possible to guest teach at RDS.
Nathan Zappia
- GUEST TEACHER -
Nathan began dancing at the age of 8 at the Robinvale Ballet Guild. He then studied at the Mildura Ballet and Dance Guild for 7 years under the styles of ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary while also taking private hip hop and contemporary lessons with Kaiti Blackmore at Richardson Dance Studio in Swan Hill. After a successful audition into the renowned Brent Street, Nathan relocated to Sydney to study an Advanced Diploma of Professional Dance in which he graduated in 2024. Nathan has been training intensely under the likes of Cassie Bartho, Stephen Tannos, Alex Miedzinski and many more. Through his course he has had opportunities to appear on The Voice, Australian Idol and gala events at the Star Casino Sydney. Nathan was part of the exclusive “Project 30” dance crew which travelled to America to compete on Americas Got Talent, making it to the grand final!. Nathan loves returning to Swan Hill when possible, where he has such fond memories, inspiring our dancers to always chase their dreams!
Remi Alderuccio
- GUEST TEACHER -
Remi has been dancing since the age of six, training across all styles and joining Richardson Dance Studio at ten years old. She was accepted into the Pre-Professional Performing Arts Course at Transit Dance Melbourne for 2025, where she is currently training under renowned industry teachers including Jayden Hicks, Paul Malek, and Priscilla Cosentino. Already working professionally, Remi has performed at events such as a private NAB function and Challenge Cancer’s Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend gala at Crown Palladium.
Giaan Delmenico
- GUEST TEACHER -
Giaan has been dancing since she was little across all styles at Richardson Dance Studio. She loved her time at RDS especially as a Student Teacher from 2023-2025. After a very successful audition she was accepted into the Pre-Professional Performing Arts Course at Brent Street Sydney for 2026, where she is currently training under renowned industry teachers!