Helen Richey - Biography

Known for her snappy wit and stylish good looks, Dancing With The Stars judge Helen Richey was born and raised in Melbourne. At a very early age she started dancing, studying ballet and tap and at 15 won the coveted Lily Ellison Award. At the age of 17 she met her future husband, Robert, and took up Ballroom and Latin dancing. After winning the Australian Rising Stars Ballroom Championship they travelled to the United Kingdom to further their dancing careers. Originally planning to visit for six months, they stayed for 27 years.

Helen's competitive career included becoming undefeated All England Latin Champion as well as the South of England Latin Champion and the Imperial Latin Champion. In the major international events Helen was placed 3rd in the World Professional Latin Championship, equal 3rd in the British Professional Latin Championship, runner-up in the United Kingdom Professional Latin and was twice placed 3rd in the International Professional Latin Championship. Helen was a Grand Finalist in the British Professional Championship, one of the most prestigious events, for seven consecutive years. She was also Australia's official representative in the World's Championships in both the Ballroom and Latin Styles for over ten years and was a regular semi finalist in the Ballroom Style.

After retiring from competitive dancing, Helen has become one of the world's leading coaches and most sought after adjudicators. She has judged the national dance championships of almost every country in the world. Helen has coached World Champions, British Champions and Australian Champions. Many of the professional dancers in all of the series of Dancing With The Stars have been trained wholly or in part by Helen.

An accomplished and skilled dressmaker, she makes the beautiful gowns that she wears on the show.

Undoubtedly Australia's most successful Professional Latin dancer, Helen has been referred to as an icon of Dancesport and certainly deserves the title, "Australia's First Lady of Latin."