Kelly Riley is the founder and owner of After Dark Dance Studios and a born performer. She studied and competed in ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical and cheerleading all through her youth. She then focused on musical theater, choir and solo and ensemble competitions throughout high school and college. After college, she began performing burlesque and studying hip-hop, pole dance, twerk and more before opening After Dark in Austin, TX in 2024. Her accolades include first place in the 2016 Stonewall Warehouse Amateur Burlesque Contest and a 2024 “One-to-Watch Instructor" award from DivaDance.
Kelly prides herself on embracing the way that each and every body moves uniquely in dance. She focuses less on technique and more on self-expression in her choreography and teaching. Her passion for performance and self-love shines through in every aspect of After Dark Dance Studios, and she strives to make every client feel loved and celebrated for exactly where they are in their dance journey.