The Ailey School

Rachel Newton grew up in the south Chicagoland area and studied dance at Salt Creek Ballet under Vaganova-trained teachers Sergey Kozadavey and Zhanna Dubrovskya. She performed in many classical ballets and danced principal roles in The Nutcracker, Flower Festival in Genzano, and Alice in Wonderland. Rachel attended the Ailey/Fordham BFA program, graduating in 2023 as a double major in Dance and Digital Technology/Emerging Media and was the recipient of an Ailey Artistic Scholarship. She has had the privilege to perform in works by Helen Simmoneau, Ethan Colangelo, Mark Caserta, Winston Dynamite Brown, Sarah Wingo, Tina Bush, and Eddy Ocampo. Rachel has spent summers with Visceral Dance Chicago, Common Conservatory, and Joffrey Ballet Chicago.