Rachel is an accomplished dancer, instructor, choreographer and adjudicator with several years of dance experience. In fact, she has been singing and dancing since the age of four.
An award winning and accredited freelance fashion designer, Rachel alone was chosen to represent all of North America at the 13th Hempel Award China Internaional Young Fashion Designers Contest in March 2005. With her collection modeled and televised on the runway in Beijing before a panel of international judges during China Fashion Week, Rachel won a participating country award for Canada and money. Presently Rachel is the product developer for a major international clothing manufacturer.
Rachel, following the B.A.T.D., C.D.T.A. and R.A.D. syllabai, has studied ballet, jazz, strength & flexibility (a.k.a. stretch), tap, acrobatics, lyrical, modern, hip hop, musical theatre and song & dance. Rachel is also a certified "Strip To Fit" instructor in fused dance and fitness - exotic dance.
As a former competitive dancer and winning her first major dance trophy, as a soloist at age seven, Rachel competed extensively in Canada and the USA for many years, winning numrous awards and scholarships. Rachel has attended several workshops and ongoing she continues to pursue and further her dance education.
Rachel studied instrumental and vocal music for several years and she also traveled with her choir to compete and perform at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. She toured Nothern Ontario performing in the musical production of "The Sound of Music" where she played one of the leading roles, Elsa Schraeder.
Some of Rachel's former students have gone on to land careers as a Toronto Argonauts Cheer Leader, a pop singer, TV actor and musical theatre triple threat.
Over the past years, Rachel has taught many forms of dance and choreographed & performed in musicals such as "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat", "My Fair Lady", "Little Shop of Horrors", "The Sound of Music", "Oliver" and "The Little Match Girl". Rachel has also choreogrphed movement for a children's choir and excerpts from "Music Man".
Rachel's unique and enthusiastic style of teaching and choreography will keep you on your toes.
Rachel Maria Lepera-Martelle
Co-Studio Director/Teacher
