Life & Work with Riley Bourne of Los Angeles / OC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Riley Bourne.

Hi Riley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began dancing when I was 6 years old, I remember seeing dancers in music videos on TV and telling my parents I wanted to do that! My Mum and my Nana were both dancers and performers growing up as well, I guess it kinda ran in the blood. So I started taking classes and I absolutely loved it, something just clicked and I didn’t want to stop. When I was about 10 years old I auditioned for and was selected to join my first dance company, this led me to discovering the street dance competition scene in my hometown (Auckland, New Zealand), and it’s safe to say I was completely hooked. The New Zealand dance community inspired me a lot, and it presented opportunities to continue growing by competing in local and worldwide competitions. In 2015 and in 2016 I ended up winning Gold Medals at the Hip Hop International “World Hip Hop Dance Championships” with my team at the time called ‘The Bradas’. You could say that competition is like the Olympics for Hip Hop Dance. I had dreamt about winning since the first time I competed there in 2008, and so that moment was a huge turning point for me, or rather a point where I knew there was no turning back.

So now, 24 years since I started dancing, I am grateful to say I have turned it into my career. I’ve been blessed with opportunities to travel all over the world and perform with some of today’s biggest music artists. I’ve taught and shared my choreography in dance classes throughout multiple countries. I’ve performed in, and choreographed for, various music videos and projects in film & TV. And just within the last year and a half, I’ve moved my life from New Zealand to the USA in order to take my career to even greater heights. I am really living my 6 year old self’s dream. I have come a long way, but I know that I am only just getting started. And I know this because I still love dance just as much as I did the very first time I stepped into a studio.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although I am living the dream, it has definitely not been an easy path. The dance industry is extremely tough. You are constantly dealing with rejection, comparisons, judgement, high expectations with low working conditions, being treated unequally, and we can’t forget the toll that it takes on your body. I could go on and on. Even as a child I dealt with being bullied because I was a boy who danced. So this lifestyle certainly requires thick skin, and awareness of who you are. I have had to work a lot on my personal wellbeing and mental health. This is still something I actively have to work on to this day just to stay focused and present, and still believing in myself. But ultimately, I try not to think too much about these things. I think if you really love what you do, then putting your work on display and people not liking it, or being rejected for a job because you aren’t the right height they’re looking for, just doesn’t matter. Truthfully, that is the only reason I have been able to continue doing what I do. It’s because I really love to dance, and create, and share my craft with others who are likeminded and just as passionate.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Dancer, Choreographer, and Dance Teacher. I have a training background in many different dance genres, but I specialize in Hip Hop and Commercial Choreography. Some of my biggest credits include performing at Coachella with ‘BlackPink’ in their Headlining act, then continuing on their sold out ‘Born Pink’ World Tour throughout Europe and the USA. I was also the Assistant Choreographer as well as a Dancer in the Disney franchise films ‘Zombies 4’ & ‘Zombies 5’. Additionally, I was a Dancer in the most recent ‘Scary Movie’, filmed in Atlanta. I have performed in multiple music videos and live shows throughout Asia, majority of them with Taiwanese artist Jolin Tsai. And I have Choreographed for many artists and events in the Australasian industry as well.

In terms of what I am most proud of though, or what brings me the most joy and fulfillment. That would be Teaching.
I’ve taught dance classes in over 15 countries, and I now have regular classes that I teach in Los Angeles at the world renowned ‘Playground’ Dance Studio (and the fact that I can say that, is absolutely insane to me). I put my heart into every piece of Choreography that I create, and I do that with the intent to not only get better for myself, but also to share something real and help others grow in their own journey. I think that is potentially what sets me apart. Dance has become so popular nowadays, it is all over social media with these TikTok trends etc. and although they are catchy and fun, and I love that it is getting more people up and dancing, it also does lack substance. Most of the time at least.
So for me, I always try to create from a genuine place, for the soul purpose of expressing myself and inspiring others, but also knowing that what I create utilizes correct foundations and techniques that I can pass on to my students when I teach. People should understand that Dancing, Choreographing, and Teaching, are three completely separate skill sets. There are for sure Choreographers who cannot Teach, there are Dancers who cannot Choreograph, and there are Teachers who cannot Dance. But there are also those who can do it all. I understood this early on, and therefore I knew that if I wanted to Choreograph and Teach, I had to hone those skills just as much, if not more, than the Dancing itself. All this to say, I am most proud of the impact that I am continuing to make as a Teacher and as a Choreographer.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve been lucky enough to have had a lot of support around me and I’m very grateful for that. First and foremost my parents, and my brother, have always been my number one fans. They’ve invested so much time and money to support me and watch me chase my dreams. My grandparents and wider family members as well. I have always sort of felt like the black sheep in my family, following a career path that wasn’t necessarily stable or promised, and yet they have all supported me nonetheless, and I hope that I have made them proud by taking it as far as I have.

It has been a long journey, and I owe a lot to the many teachers and mentors that I have had throughout my life so far, the people that have believed in me even when I have doubted myself. From my first teacher at the age of 6, Karleen Edmonds, to the first dance company that I joined when I was 10, DZIAH Dance Academy, all the way through to the Emmy nominated Choreographer that I have been assisting and working under in recent years, Dondraico Johnson, and everyone in between that I have had the privilege to learn from and connect with. All of my friends from all corners of the world that have inspired me. I could not still be on this path if it wasn’t for their continued support and belief in me. I also have to thank every person that has been in one of my classes, anyone that has ever learned from me. They have taught me more about myself and helped me to grow into the person I am today, and shown me the person I hope to become.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileybourne/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RileyBourne