Losing both her parents when she was young was very difficult for Mady Richmond.

She credits dance with helping her get through her deep pain, and has established a dance program to help children find solace and joy in dance.

Richmond, a Miami native, is the director of Mady’s Dance Factory, 7300 NE Fourth Court. She also co-founded the nonprofit One Heart Foundation, which helps children become involved in otherwise economically challenging activities.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mady Richmond.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Mady. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.

Starting my own dance studio was my heart’s desire since I was a kid. There were so many business obstacles that made the start so far away, almost too far to grasp. Finding the love of my life and marrying my husband at the end of 2014, lead me to find a business partner, along with my best friend for life. Who you do business with and the people that make the organization are one of the keys to being successful that I have learned. We started the dance company with only 3 students and have grown it to over 250 today.

Madeline Richmond es el directora de Mady’s Dance Factory. La entrevistamos a principios de esta semana y compartió con nosotros un poco de su historia y por qué la danza es una gran parte de su vida. Mady también nos habló de su fábrica de danza y la inspiración que ella quiere que todos sus estudiantes sientan y transmitan no sólo en la danza, sino también a través de cada experiencia en su vida.

Madeline Richmond is the director of Mady’s Dance Factory. We interviewed her earlier this week and she shared with us some of her history and why dance is such a big part of her life. Mady also told us about her dance factory and the inspiration she wants all of her students to feel and transmit not only in through dance but also through every single life experience.

Madeleine Richmond is a true testament of not allowing a tragic moment in your life define you. Both of Richmond’s parents passed away from AIDS when she was 7 years old. She was left to conquer the world on her own and find ways to cope with her loss. She found that the best therapy came from dance. It became an emotional outlet for her. She was allowed to express any sadness or anger, or simply just express herself creatively. Her passion for dance lead her to open Mady’s Dance Factory to ensure that no child would ever feel like they are alone or isolated in this world. This unique dance studio is a place where underprivileged kids can come together and use dance as a form of self-expression.

By the time Mady Richmond was 13, she had lost both her parents to AIDS.

Richmond had been dancing since she was 3, and it was through dance that she coped with the loss of her parents. Eventually, that passion turned into a career. She has danced for the Miami Marlins and the Florida Panthers, and participated in local community shows.

On June 1, Richmond, 28, and her husband Jay, 34, opened Mady’s Dance Factory in Little Haiti where they offer dance classes to kids going through emotional, academic or family difficulties.

Richmond said that after her parents died, she suffered through deep depression.