Ms. Robards’ career includes national teaching residencies and choreographic commissions by numerous professional companies and university dance programs, including Tsoying School of Performing Arts, Ballet Tucson, Ballet Austin, Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theater, Interlochen Arts Academy, Burklyn Ballet Theater, Royal Academy of Dancing, Mendocino Ballet, and Stephens College, among others. Additionally she has a strong presence in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina where she has been a guest artist/teacher at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte; North Carolina Dance Theater; and Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte. As a choreographer Kim is noted for dynamic use of space, physicality of movement, and lyrical athleticism. Her work was selected as 1 of 13 companies nationally for the “InBound Series” at Joyce SoHo in New York in 2008. This garnered a great review from Dance Critic Jennifer Dunning in The New York Times. Internationally Kim represented the US and was invited to have her work performed in the 2008 “booking DANCE FESTIVAL beijing – coinciding with the Olympics” and in the 2009 “booking DANCE FESTIVAL edinburgh” in Scotland. Kim has been a guest artist in Taiwan, been hosted in France by the French Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and was a dancer in the Tokyo International Choreographers’ Competition in Japan. Ms. Robards has received stellar reviews and critical acclaim for her original choreography for programming as diverse as “Colorado Christmas” with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, “Sound of a Voice” with Paragon Theatre, and Services at Mile Hi Church.Kim is respected as a teacher of her own technique which provides a solid technical base for professional dancers. As a leader in dance education, she founded The The Academy of Kim Robards Dance in 1993. She is on the faculty at Denver Ballet Theatre, and has formerly taught on the faculty of The Academy of Colorado Ballet for 14 years, Colorado College in Colorado Springs for five years, Belliston Academy, and the Arvada Center. She has been a leading Dance Teaching Artist for the Aesthetic Education Institute of Colorado, and has presented hundreds of residencies throughout Colorado through her own company’s educational programming, as well as through various artist-in-residence programs including those sponsored by Young Audiences, ArtReach, and Denver Ballet Guild. Notable awards include: KUSA Channel 9 TV “9 Who Care Award” presented by Ann Curry of The Today Show, “Honorable Mention” from former Colorado First Lady Bea Romer’s Women’s Health Leadership Award, COVisions Recognition Award and a choreographer’s fellowship from Colorado Council on the Arts, selection as a subject of “Living Treasures of Colorado” TV documentary, and Honoree at the Colorado Ballet “Tribute to Women in Dance”, and most recently The Aurora Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Committee honored Ms. Robards with the Women Who Make A Difference Award at the Unsung Heroes Luncheon. Kim’s modern dance training includes Limon, Humphrey-Weidman, Hawkins, Graham, and Nikolais Techniques. Prior to receiving her MA in Dance from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1985, she was a member of VERVE Dance Company. Inc. Some of her mentors include Mary Ann Mee, Christine Dakin, Tim Wengerd, Maria Johnson, Steven Chatfield, and Karen Steele, among others.