Biography of Richard Paul Killian
By Dick Killian, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Born a twin, the first set, at St Johns Hospital, Santa Monica, CA. 1932. Brother (mirror twin), Robert Paul Killian, a Monaco Principality resident for 30 years plus.
- Studied violin from age 4. Flute & piccolo from age 12.
- Glazier apprentice from age 8. Father, Sylvester Paul, owned Palisades Glass & Mirror Shop in Santa Monica until 1922 to 1944.
- Motorcycle enthusiast 1944 to 1988.
- Graduated Grants Pass High School class of 1950.
Vocations:
- Logging (whistle punk, choker setter and saw off-bearer) during summers while in high school and after.
- U.S. Navy Reserves 1950 to 1956. Honorable Active Duty Discharge 1953, Engineman (END3).
- Southern Oregon Plywood industries 1953 to 1958 (Utilityman).
- U.S. Postal Service 1958 to 1963 at Crystal Bay, Nevada, part time (Postal Worker).
- Las Vagas, Nevada Casinos 1958 to 2002 (Slot Mechanic).
- Contributed major concepts to the success of Slot Systems (Player Cards) domestic and foreign 1975 to 2002.
- Retired, but still repair old machines on request.
- Created the Folkdance Jukebox. These laptops (for sale reasonably priced) exclusively are intended to provide everything a new folk dance instructor would need to start new classes of their own. From these units new dancers may easily obtain music, dance notes and view costumes in files they might use on their own MP3 players or iPODs.
Avocation:
- International Folk Dancing started in Ridgecrest, California with the Desert Dancers of China Lake 1958.
- A founding member of the non-profit ETHNIC EXPRESS International Folk Dance Club 1978.
- Served in various elective offices ever since. Served as the Dance Director since the club was formed.
- Attained membership for the ETHNIC EXPRESS in the International Food Festival, Las Vegas and the Folk Dance Federation of California So. Inc. 1978.
- Organized regional folk dance festivals in Las Vegas 1998 and 2000.
- Served as Chairman of the Folk Dance Federation of Calif. So. Inc. festival in Las Vegas 2001.
- Organized the Folk Dance Teacher Training Seminar at Charleston Heights Arts Center 2004.
- Still teaching every Wednesday at the ETHNIC EXPRESS' regularly scheduled dances 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; dark on holidays and in August only!
- Guest Instructor at Clark County Music Teachers Association; Las Vegas High School; Folk Dance Federation of California So. Inc. Statewide Festivals; Frontier Council of the Girl Scouts of America; IFFAFA 2009 in Las Vegas at the Rivera; and innumerable middle and high schools in the Las Vegas valley.
- Performed folkdances locally in Italy; Ireland; England; Guam; Hilo (in Hawaii); Roitan Island 30 miles off of Honduras' north coast; Monaco; between France and Italy; Greece; and on many of those islands including Santorini; and while on the cruise ship that took us there.
I didn't dance at all until 1958 in Ridgecrest, California, when my sister Polly asked me to go to a Cha-Cha workshop. That was the rage, at least in Ridgecrest at that time. Well, that was a gas! The local folk dancers there are the China Lake Desert Dancers whose logo is dancing Joshua trees (Polly was the artist). Folk dances are the aerobics of our ancestors that open doors and discovers friends around the world!
In 1960 I danced in Reno with the now-extinct Near and Far Folk Dancers. Folk dancing was non-existent at Lake Tahoe when I lived at Crystal By, Nevada, so I started a class at the Crpenters' Union Hall in Kings Beach, California.
Donna and I met in Reno on a double date to see Liberace at Harrah's Lake Tahoe. That night Liberace introduced a newcomer to the showroom circuit, Barbara Streisand. Anyhow, Donna was the other guy's date that night.
We married that year, bought a home in incline Village, had a daughter and a son, then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1969. We've had many great years together with more to come!
The Ethnic Express International Folk Dancers started in 1978; but that's another story.
Richard Paul Killian
350 E. Desert Inn Road E203
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109-9007
(702) 732-4871