Our Teachers
THEIR STORIES
I just want to say THANKYOU. You all do the most amazing job organising and making our little people feel safe, happy and included. Sadie enjoyed her first concert so much and is already asking when the next one is.
Sarah Skinner, Parent
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.
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.
Claudia Gleeson
- GUEST TEACHER -
Claudia is a past student and teacher of Richardson Dance Studio. She danced at the studio for many years and enjoyed teaching and inspiring many students. Claudia studied the styles of Jazz, Commercial Jazz, Musical Theatre, Hip-Hop, Funk, Ballet, Pointe and Contemporary with Raylene and Kaiti. Claudia has supplemented her training with short courses at the "Dance Factory" Melbourne and Jason Coleman's "Ministry of Dance". She has also participated in the Bendigo and Swan Hill Dance Eisteddfods. In 2017 Claudia lived out her dream as she completed her Certificate 4 in Dance Teaching and Management at "Kelly Aykers Full Time Dance Melbourne." Claudia now practices law at Geelong University and returns whenever possible to guest teach at RDS studio