Grace Kraley was born and raised here in Bakersfield, CA. She started dancing at the age of four, and immediately fell in love with the art form. She danced for several years under the guidance of Martha Knight at the Bakersfield Ballet Theatre before coming to Civic Dance Center at age thirteen.

Grace trained at Civic through age eighteen, and then took a break to pursue flight training. She earned her private pilot certificate and began working as an observer for a local aerial patrol company.

Grace returned to Civic in November of 2023, and she began teaching ballet the following summer. In addition to teaching, she takes several classes including ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, and hip hop. She loves having the opportunity to watch her students grow alongside her, and hopes to be an inspiration for the next generation of dancers.