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Riley Wimes Jr.

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Artist Discipline: Dance

Artist Bio

Riley Wimes Jr is a dancer, teacher, performer and DJ. He began dancing socially at a young age and grew up in a family and community surrounded by music and dance. He has always enjoyed movement and music even though it wasn’t always his professional pursuit. He has a B.A. degree in Communication from Western Illinois University and has worked with the public and managed groups all of his adult career. Riley began partner dancing extensively in 1997, teaching adults in 1998 and began a dance and music touring program for schools in 1999. He has placed first several times in dance competitions in the US and Canada, has graced the cover of a CD, a poster campaign and a full-page Chicago magazine pictorial. Riley is a featured instructor for the City of Chicago’s Summer Dance Program, a staff instructor and DJ for the Willowbrook Ballroom, dance instructor for Danza Viva Dance Studio in Oak Park, Illinois (Kids Ballroom and Jazz Movement), Heart and Sole Dance Studio in Tinley Park (Salsa and Dance Fitness), Studio Viva in Palatine, Illinois (Swing) and an instructor/choreographer for I AM Dance Youth Ensemble. Riley is going into his third year as a touring artist for Urban Gateways. He is in his second year as an artist-in-residence.

While his main focus is in partner dancing, he frequently choreographs dance routines for dance recitals, school performances and workshops that call for individual performance within a group but without dance connection as partners. He also loves to teach and create line dances with authentic jazz movement and modern concepts that can capture the “youngest of the young” to the “oldest of the old”. No program is complete without students gaining the history of certain dances and movements as well as the technical and performance aspects of a dance presentation. Riley strongly encourages program-ending performances. His program stresses creative expression, teamwork and unity as well as self-discipline and training.

Artist Statement

I truly believe that art in education is a very valuable component. My relationship with Urban Gateways helps me to expand that belief. I have always loved music and dance. It has always been a part of my life in some form or fashion.

Music is a story. Listening to it helps you to form a mental picture of the story it tells. Dancing to it, allows one to tell the story of the music or express one’s own story as lyrics, melody and rhythm applies to one’s thoughts and life. This is obviously in addition to all the other social, physical and therapeutic benefits associated with music and dance.

Dance has always inspired me to be me and “do my own thing”. It has helped me to understand that no one can dance the way I dance so therefore when I am not as “good” or as “bad” as the next person I am always me and I have strengths and weaknesses just like every other human in this vast world. It allows me to not only see how individual I am but it totally reveals to me how much alike I am as well.

Educational Philosophy

There is a technical and structured breakdown to dance. Most of us who dance naturally are very unaware of what we actually do. This artistic process helps us to analyze and break down not only dance but life as well.

For those that know and learn dance through these same techniques, well, they are usually the people that don’t move as fluidly and vibrantly. They don’t realize that everything doesn’t have to be dissected and analyzed. They learn to let go and feel and express rather than consume themselves with a direct, methodical thought process.

While we approach our students through these processes we can’t forget the component of having fun as well as the value of entertainment.