Farragut teen to fulfill dream of performing with Rockettes
A dream will come true for Rylie Richardson, a 14-year-old Farragut resident and Farragut High School student, when she dances on stage with the Rockettes in July.
Rylie, an Angela Floyd School for Dance and Music, LLC, dancer and company member, was accepted by audition to attend the 2016 New York City Rockettes Summer Intensive in Manhattan.
“It will be a life-changing experience,” she said. “I am so glad I have been given this opportunity and that Angela Floyd has prepared me for this.
“I am hopeful that it will help me fulfill my dream of becoming a Rockette,” she said.
“This is a unique opportunity to train in the legendary Rockettes’ dance technique and part of her journey to fulfill her dreams of being a New York City Rockette,” Angela Floyd, founder and director of Angela Floyd Schools in Farragut, said.
The showcase performance, in which Rylie will perform, will be at 3 p.m., Friday, July 29, in New York City.
Rylie’s dream started to become a reality when she auditioned for the Rockette’s Summer Intensive program in Atlanta, Ga., in January.
“I was very nervous,” Rylie said. “There were a lot of girls there who were very good dancers, so I was super nervous about not being seen.
“We were taught a jazz, tap and kick-line dance. Each dance was about five eight-counts long, and they would pull us out into smaller groups to watch us dance them.
“The instructor would even give me a smile or a head nod after I had gone,”
“She made me feel noticed and I appreciated that,” Rylie said.
Rylie said she loved the audition process.
“All of the girls there were very kind, and the instructors made sure we all felt like family,” she said. “They made sure to answer any questions we had, and they were super friendly to everyone.”
Floyd said she knew Rylie would shine on the stage in New York City.
Rylie had been going to Angela Floyd Schools for three years, two of which she spent on the company team.
“All of the teachers are very supportive and care about the dancers enough to push us to our best,” Rylie said. “The tea-chers have helped me work so hard to become a better dancer, and they have believed in me even when I was doubting myself.
“They helped me tremendously in becoming the dancer I am today. I am grateful to be a part of a company team at a studio that provides kick line classes.”
She said the kick line class inspired her interest in becoming a Rockette.
“Mrs. Angel [Floyd} has provided me with so much advice, and I am really grateful for that,” Rylie said.
Floyd said most of Ryrie’s time has been spent at Angela Floyd Schools, dancing in more than eight classes a week while still maintaining excellent grades at Farragut High School.
“I am so excited for Rylie to take her dream of being a New York City Rockette to the next level,” Floyd said. “Having started the kick line dance class over 24 years ago, it still fills me with such joy to see these dancers carry on this excellent dance tradition.”
