Coming from a Panamanian heritage, Rachel McSween grew up in Altadena, California where she trained at Le Studio and Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Upon graduation Ms. McSween attended the Alvin Ailey/Fordham University BFA Program where she performed works by Hans Van Manen, Alonzo King, Martha Graham, Troy Powell, Christopher L. Huggins and Nacho Duato . Throughout her time in New York City she danced with Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Thomas/Ortiz Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet as an apprentice, Ballet Hispanico and Ailey II. While in Ailey II Ms. McSween had the opportunity to perform with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria and Revelations as well as perform for the opening of the US Embassy in Berlin, Germany. She has danced in the 2008 Dance Magazine awards in honor of Sylvia Waters and has been featured in Dance Magazine’s April 2009 issue and March 2009 e-newsletter. As a member of Dallas Black Dance Theatre Ms. McSween had the opportunity to work on the musical production of The Wiz in collaboration with Dallas Theater Center. In 2011, Ms. McSween was featured on the cover of the Dallas Morning News arts preview guide.