Rachel Barker

Rachel Barker is a dance artist, choreographer, and educator from Salt Lake City, Utah who loves the mountains and her bike. Working as a river-guide, traversing the mountains on her skis and bike, or heading out on solo adventure trips, she prefers to spend most of her time outside! Her creative work—including contemporary dance choreography and dance film— has received multiple awards and been presented nationally and internationally in various festivals and venues. She has taught dance in a variety of settings for 23 years; as a dance professor in both Utah and North Carolina for the past seven, and in various dance studios, as head of a high school dance program, and community centers in years prior.

She has practiced pilates for many years as a way to strengthen and find stability to her mobility, certifying through Balanced Body in 2015 and completing her Stott Reformer training with Awaken Studios in 2022. Rachel thoroughly enjoys helping others find the joy of movement, whether that be through healing body and soul as we discover all that we are capable of, or addressing particular injuries in order to live life to the fullest and pursue our passions.

She holds an MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University, a Masters in Teaching from Westminster College, and a BFA in Dance from the University of Utah. She is so excited to be working with you all at Awaken Studios!