Karley Childress (professional name KayceeCole) is originally from Memphis, TN where she began her dance journey at the age of three. During her dance training she has studied ballet, tap, jazz, acrobatics, and hip hop. After graduating high school, Karley decided to continue her dance training at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she earned her BFA in Contemporary Dance in 2024. Through her studies at UNCSA, she was exposed to several techniques including Countertechnique, Horton, Cunningham, Limón, and West African. There, she performed works by Rena Butler, Jim Vincent, Ashley Lindsey, Dwana Smallwood, Gina Patterson, Amyia Burrell, Anthony Lee Bryant, Andrew Harper, and José Limón.

Karley has attended summer programs such as Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Since graduating, Karley has been selected as one of eight choreographers for the 2024 Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship Program at Jacob’s Pillow and was also one of five choreographers chosen for the Joffrey Ballet’s 2025 Winning Works. She has served as a mentor and choreographer for Ballet Memphis’ Summer Intensive, worked as a guest choreographer for Indiana Ballet Conservatory’s Summer Intensive, and is currently teaching ballet and contemporary at Dance Dynamics Memphis.

Karley looks forward to participating in the New York Choreographic Institute in August 2026, continuing to expand her choreographic voice and artistic research.