Karen Kain became a professional dancer in 1971. She became well-know in Canada with the help of Rudolf Nureyev. She worked as guest artist in a lot of company like; Roland Petit's Ballet National de Marseilles, the Bolshoi Ballet, the London Festival Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, the Vienna State Opera Ballet, and the Eliot Feld Ballet. In 1977, she decided to stop dancing but, in 1981, she resumed her career for another 15 years. She retired as a dancer in 1997.She was awarded the Silver Medal in the International Ballet Competition in Moscow. She also won at the same competition a special price for the Best Pas De Deux, with her partner Frank Augustyn. She performed for many ballet and got the greatest roles. She worked for many Paris Opéra Ballet, Roland Petit’s Le Ballet de Marseilles, the Bolshoi Ballet, London Festival Ballet and Vienna State Opera Ballet. In all her career she developed a creative partnership with Rudolf Nureyev and performed a lot of time with him.