Miss Rachel took her first ballet class after watching a performance of The Nutcracker.  Over twenty years later, Rachel’s passion continues to grow every day as she trains the next generation of dancers.  Rachel grew up in Kansas City, MO, dancing and performing with the Heart of America Youth Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. 

 

Rachel attended the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and received her BFA degree in ballet and modern dance.  During this time, Rachel had the privilege of training under world-renowned professors, teachers, choreographers, and repetiteurs.  Rachel has performed in ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, and multiple Nutcrackers as well as many original choreographic works set at UMKC. 

 

Since college, Rachel has had the opportunity to perform, teach, and train in San Diego, CA, Honolulu, HI, Monterey, CA, Newport, RI, and Japan.  She was a Company Member with Spector Dance Company in Monterey, CA.  Where she had the opportunity to premier Ocean Trilogy at venues across the West Coast and at APAP in New York City.  She has recently moved to Norfolk, VA, and is very excited to bring her many years of experience to SSDA!