09/02/2026
🌟Welcome Kalei VanRiper to Tioga United Way’s Dancing United with the Starz, dancing with Brighton Boekhoudt🌟
From baking beautiful pastries to baking up some serious dance moves, Kalei VanRiper is ready to take on the challenge—and she’s bringing plenty of heart, energy, and community spirit with her!
Kalei graduated from Paul Smith’s College with a degree in Baking, Pastry & Service Management and currently serves as the Manager of the Bakery Department at Price Chopper in Owego. While she may be an expert at creating delicious treats, this time she’s hoping her biggest accomplishment won’t be a perfectly decorated cake, but a perfectly executed dance routine! 💃
Kalei and her husband, Mike, live in Candor with their 5-year-old daughter. When she’s not working or spending time with family, she enjoys golfing, bowling, and performing with the Kirby Band. Clearly, sitting still isn’t really her thing!
Giving back to her community has been a passion of Kalei’s from a young age. As a Girl Scout, she organized a school supply and food drive for her hometown of Newark Valley, learning early that one person with a big heart can make a big difference.
Kalei is also no stranger to the spotlight! She danced for many years at a local studio in Vestal, participating in individual performances and the competition team. In college, she organized a cheerleading team that performed at several events.
Her journey into the spotlight began with the scholarship-based American Miss Pageant in Rochester, where she learned valuable lessons in confidence, public speaking, perseverance, and stage presence—skills that have continued to serve her throughout her life.
Now, she’s ready to put those skills—and her dance moves—to the ultimate test!
🎶 The music is ready.
💃 The dance floor is waiting.
❤️ And the cause is worth every step.
Kalei is dancing to challenge herself, have some fun, and most importantly, raise funds for Tioga United Way and the families and individuals who depend on the important resources our community provides.
Welcome to the dance floor, Kalei! Let’s dance for a cause! 🌟
