Rachel Tucker

Rachel Tecora Tucker has returned to New York City after teaching dance at the University of North Carolina–Charlotte, including Horton Based Modern, Contemporary Jazz, Beginning Ballet, Improvisation, Hip-Hop, Pilates, and Performance Practicum. She was also on faculty at the Charlotte Ballet Academy (formerly North Carolina Dance Theatre’s School of Dance), under the direction of Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, choreographing for the conservatory, pre-professional, and apprentice program divisions. In New York City, Ms. Tucker has taught at the young adult programs of the Alvin Ailey School and Steps on Broadway. She began her formal dance training under the direction of ballet master Sylvester Campbell at the Baltimore School for the Arts, received her BA in Dance from Point Park University, and completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance at Hollins University, in affiliation with the American Dance Festival, the Forsythe Company, and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt, Germany.

As a professional dancer, Ms. Tucker danced with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, where she studied under master instructor of the Lester Horton technique, James Truitte. There, she performed works by Ulysses Dove, Talley Beatty, Donald McKayle, Eleo Pomare, Donald Byrd, and Dwight Rhoden. She later joined the national tour of The Wiz, directed and choreographed by George Faison, whom she later assisted on other projects. Ms. Tucker also performed as a Radio City Rockette at Radio City Music Hall. While in New York, Ms. Tucker was involved in many freelance commercial projects with contemporary choreographers such as Mike Malone, Michael Peters, Karole Armitage, Bobby Longbottom, Jerry Mitchell, Freddie Moore, and Jean-Pierre Reggioro, which allowed her performance opportunities in New York, Las Vegas, France, Germany, and Japan. Ms. Tucker is an original member of the Broadway production of Disney’s The Lion King, directed by Julie Taymor and choreographed by Garth Fagan. She was one of two original dance captains alongside Aubrey Lynch and was later promoted to the off-stage position of Resident Dance Supervisor for the National Touring Company, maintaining the choreography and movement of the show.

Ms. Tucker continues her work with young artists through master classes, workshops, and dance festivals. Most recently she was choreographer for the Stagebound Summer Vocal Intensive held at the National Opera Center in New York City. She is also certified to teach Pilates and yoga and incorporates these corrective and strengthening techniques in her teaching.