Our Mission

Inspire all dancers to be their best, have fun and make lasting friendships in a creative, family friendly environment.
‍Passion. Encouragement. Confidence.
‍Join our RUNWAY Dance Family and 'Reach New Heights'

Our mission

Inspire all dancers to be their best, have fun and make lasting friendships in a creative, family friendly environment.

Our Story

We are sisters, best friends and business partners – co-founders and directors of RUNWAY Dance Connection. From a very young age, RUNWAY has been our dream. Childhood memories are of dance competitions in our family room, with the fireplace hearth as our stage. Little did we know this sibling rivalry would lead us to RUNWAY!  

It has taken a family-sized effort to fuel our RUNWAY vision and make your dreams come true. Our promise is to work tirelessly to ensure RUNWAY is the most professional, unique, fun, family-friendly dance competition. It’s our hope that RUNWAY becomes the dance competition everyone talks about and a community that everyone wants to become part of. 

Between us, we’ve danced competitively for a total of 30+ years. We’ve lost count of our dance competitions, nationals, showcases, year-end shows and intensives. The dedication, discipline and sheer hard work associated with competitive dance always pushed us to be our best selves. We have combined our years of passion and experience to bring you Canada’s most exciting new dance competition.

When not hosting RUNWAY events, Riley is an award-winning freelance television and event producer who has worked for the CBC Sports, CTV National News, W5 and Discovery Channel. Riley has also produced some of the biggest sporting events on the planet, including the FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Kelly is currently a professional dancer and featured “Can Can” soloist at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, France. Kelly has also performed in shows for Adidas, Red Bull, Maserati, the Shanghai Film Festival, been featured in a national Super Bowl commercial for Vroom and on the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Main Stage repeatedly.

We can’t wait to SEE YOU ON THE RUNWAY!
‍
Riley and Kelly Nimens,
RUNWAY Co-Founders & Directors

Riley Nimens

Sister Spot: Big Sis
‍Role: Co-Founder & Director
‍Education: Western University - Bachelor of Arts in Media, Theory and Production. Fanshawe College - Diploma in Television Broadcasting.
‍Career Highlights: Field Producer at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Producer/Director for CTV’s W5, CTV News, Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet, Investigation Discovery, Oxygen and History Channel.
‍Riley says: “I’m the family organizer and planner, the quintessential older sister.”
‍What her sister says: “She’s everyone’s cheerleader” – Kelly
‍Favourite Dance Move: Aerial
‍Personal Dance Style: Jazz
‍Motto: “Do it!” - Kathy Nimens (our mom)

Kelly Nimens

Sister Spot: Little Sis
Role: Co-Founder & Director
Education: Chapman University - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance. Acrobatic Arts Certified.
Career Highlights: Professional dancer and Can Can soloist for the Moulin Rouge in Paris, France. Has worked for Adidas, Red Bull, FujiFilm, Maserati, Martell Cognac, Shanghai Film Festival (for Jaegar LeCouture). Appeared in a National Super Bowl commercial for Vroom and on the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Main Stage.
Kelly says: “I’m a perfectionist! Hard-working, dedicated and passionate.”
What her sister says: “The definition of determination.” - Riley
Favourite Dance Move: Pirouette
Personal Dance Style: Acro
Motto: Live life to the fullest

Frequently asked Questions

Can I take photos and videos of performances during the competition?

No. Taking videos and/or photos during the competition while dancers are performing is strictly prohibited. DRC captures all photos and videos of each performance and uploads them to DanceBUG following the competition. However, you are welcome to take photos and videos during adjudications.

Does every entry receive an award?

YES! Every entry at a RUNWAY competition receives an award.

I have a question about my merchandise order. Who do I contact?

Please email us at info@runwaydanceconnection.com

How do I get a refund?

Unfortunately, we do not offer refunds for competition fees, except in extremely extenuating circumstances. For more information, please contact your studio director.

What are the Rules & Regulations for RUNWAY?

RUNWAY Rules & Regulations can be found on the Rules & Regulations page.

Who should I inform if I notice a mistake in the RUNWAY schedule?

Please contact your studio owner, and have them contact RUNWAY with the mistake found.

What forms of payment does RUNWAY accept at the competition?

We accept cash, debit, or credit card to purchase merchandise.

What are the rules to qualify as a Novice, Pre-Competitive and Competitive dancer?

50% or more of dancers in a routine must be Pre-Competitive in order for the routine to be considered Pre-Competitive and vice versa for Competitive.

For any duet/trio with performers who are a mix of novice, pre-competitive, and/or competitive dancers must dance in the higher category.

Where are RUNWAY Dance Competitions held?

The location of each competition varies. Please go to our Events page for a full list of competition dates and locations.