Rachel Rhodanz
Rachel grew up in a small town in Northeast Ohio, where she began her dance training at 3 years old. At the age of 13, her ballet teacher suggested she further her dance training at Ballet Western Reserve in Youngstown, Ohio. Up until graduating high school, Rachel performed in dance recitals, galas, competitions, and community performances. She was also the lead role in Ballet Western Reserve’s The Nutcracker. Rachel attended college at Mercyhurst University where she received her BFA in Dance and minor in Exercise Science in 2019. While in college, Rachel further explored her artistry and voice in the dance world, becoming interested in modern and contemporary dance forms. She became a company member of SoMar, a contemporary partnering company based in Erie, Pennsylvania, and she attended American Dance Festival, where she explored movement vocabularies with dancers from around the world. Rachel also participated in community events while in college, such as National Water Dance and Erie Dance Festival. Once leaving college, Rachel moved to New York City in hopes of pursuing her dance career. Due to COVID-19, Rachel’s time in the city was cut short. Since March of 2020, Rachel has been travelling between Vermont, Ohio, and New York City, teaching and dancing when she can and reconnecting with her body and nature. Specifically, Rachel has been working on dance improvisation and finding her artistic voice. Rachel has been vegan for 4 years, after discovering the truth about factory farming and animal exploitation. She has incorporated her passion for animal rights into her art by creating dance pieces based around the subject. Rachel will continue creating art and hopefully return to New York City within the year. She is currently living in Southern Vermont, where she plans to teach and dance through the fall and winter.
