Rachel DeForrest Repinz, MFARachel DeForrest Repinz, MFA is a dancer, choreographer, scholar, teaching artist, and multiple award recipient based in Philadelphia and New York. She received a BA and MFA in Dance from SUNY Buffalo State College and Temple University, respectively. Rachel is currently a first-year doctoral student in Dance Studies at Texas Woman’s University with a focus on the Disability Aesthetic and its applications in choreographic practices in Contemporary dance. Currently, Rachel is working as the Assistant to the Director of the Arnhold Graduate Dance Education Program at CUNY Hunter College, as a teaching artist for Dancewave, and as a company dancer with Open Dance Ensemble, an experimental improvisation dance company. Rachel also founded and artistically directs RACHEL:dancers, a multi-medium, multi-modal, dance performance company, as well as co-directs a collaborative performance arts project, Bashi Arts, with Enya-Kalia Jordan. Rachel has presented her work nationally and internationally, at venues including Movement Research, the biennial Decolonizing Bodies: Engaging Performance conference at UWI Barbados, the 2018, 2019 and 2022 NDEO conferences held in San Diego, Miami, and Atlanta repsectively, DaCi’s 2020 special performance series, the Institute of Dance Artistry, Mark Degarmo’s NYC Salon Series, Philadelphia Youth Dance Festival, and more. She has had the honor of performing premiere works by Dr. S. Ama Wray using Embodiology techniques, Meriàn Soto, Awilda Sterling-Duprey, Carlos R.A. Jones, and as a principal dancer for Enya Kalia Creations, among others. She has been commissioned to create works for the UN’s World Water Day, the Utah All-State Dance Ensemble, Manhattan High School of the Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania State at Abington, the Buffalo State Dance Theater Company, Lawrence Public Schools, and more. For more information on her creative work, find her on instagram @RachelandDancers. Rachel’s favorite meal is a classic diner breakfast shared with the ones she loves.

Peyton Eidle
Peyton Eidle is a senior at Temple University where she studies Dance as well as Recreational Therapy. Her studies have been done under many including Kun-Yang Lin, Megan Bridge and Josephine Heard Deans. Some of her studies at Temple have included Modern, Improvisation and various techniques in the African Diaspora. Since her time at Temple she has performed in Philadelphia, New York City and beyond with credits including Kontemporary Classic Ballet Company (KCBC) under the direction of Kimberly D. Landel, RACHEL:dancers under the direction of Rachel Repinz and Staib Dance under the direction of George Staib. As part of the team with -Spective dance group, she works to educate young dancers on important information to succeed in the dance industry as well to promote longevity and overall health within the dance field. Working with community outreach programs has been a large part of her life since high school where she aided in developing teaching programs and performances to provide artistic exposure and experiences for children. She aspires to be an advocate for inclusivity and accessibility in the dance world and intends to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) post graduation where she can better work towards this cause both in the dance as well as medical fields. Her favorite foods are any and all French fries as well as kale (balance?) and she firmly believes that all food tastes better when eaten on the kitchen floor with besties at 2am.

Gabriella Galvan

Lindsey Garnhart Lindsey Garnhart is a dance artist who holds a BFA in Dance from Temple University. She has performed as a soloist with APDance based in Brooklyn, NY, and with Klassic Contemporary Ballet Company and RACHEL:dancers in Philadelphia, PA, as well as many artists at Temple University. Lindsey is a teacher at Upper Merion Dance and Gymnastics Center in King of Prussia, PA, and is a rotating assistant for Tracie Stanfield's virtual classes at Broadway Dance Center. In addition to dance, she is on the social media team at American College Dance Association, Boyer College, and is the manager of social media at APDance in NYC. Lindsey's favorite meal is a pork roll egg and cheese on a toasted everything bagel eaten on the roof at the beach with Kimmi, Julia, Charlotte and Abby!

Lena Josef

Mijkalena (Mijka) Smith
Mijkalena Smith is a Philadelphia-based dance artist originating from Elverson, Pennsylvania. Mijka earned her BFA in Dance from Temple University, graduating Magna Cum Laude of her class and receiving the Frances Bowden Award for Excellence in Dance. Trained in Ballet, Modern, African Diasporic, Hip Hop, and Improvisational techniques, Mijka has had the honor of studying under renowned dancers and choreographers such as Clyde Evans, Kyle Clark, Kun-Yang Lin, Merion Ramirez, and Megan Bridge of Fidget. In addition to her work as a dancer, Mijka is committed to building herself as a dance educator and administrator. Finding purpose in her work for local non-profits, she currently serves as the Community Engagement and Space Coordinator for Fidget (located in Kensington, Philadelphia) and an Administrative Assistant for the Great Marsh Institute (located in Elverson, Pennsylvania). Mijka also works as a teaching artist for Upper Merion Dance and Gymnastics Center. Mijka’s current choreographic interest is in integrating poetry, movement, and music to create a rich artistic experience. You can find information on her latest work through her Instagram @mijkalenasmith or her website https://18msmith6.wixsite.com/mijkalena. Mijka’s favorite meal is a warm bowl of pho on a rainy day shared with her partner, Davis.
 
Megan VoMegan Vo is a dancer and student from King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Under UMDGC, she has been trained in ballet, contemporary, and jazz. Megan has performed Rachel Repinz’s choreographed dances in a number of performances, including UMDGC’s Annual Dressember Showcases, Poetico’s Showcases, and the Philadelphia Youth Festival 2021. She recently performed Mijka Smith’s and Lindsey Garnhart’s pieces in showcases during her last year of high school. Megan’s favorite meal is sushi with her close friends and family.

Alexandra MettlerAlexandra Mettler is a New York-based cinematographer, currently pursuing her BFA in Film & TV from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She has worked on a variety of film and video sets as Director of Photography and 1st Assistant Camera, as well as working on production for Season 19 of Bravo’s Project Runway. Lex has experience with music videos, short films, television, and experimental filmmaking. She is passionate about cinematography as a way to serve story and the communities that can be created through filmmaking. To contact her about any projects or inquiries, you can find her on Instagram @alexandramettler, or reach out to alexandracmettler@gmail.com. Lex’s favorite meal is fresh fruit and good bread eaten somewhere sunny with her family.


Sophia Savidis

Cate Christiansen Cate Christiansen is a dancer and filmmaker currently at New York University for Cinema Studies and French Language and Culture, with a minor in Dance. ALL YOU CAN EAT! is her second collaboration with RACHEL:dancers, having also both directed and edited Heaven Only Knows (2021). Cate is interestested in the various ways in which the tools of filmmaking, particularly editing, can supplement choreography to distinguish dance film as a unique medium. Cate has made and continues to direct, choreograph, edit, and dance in independent dance films, notably starring in Mikaela Chavis' multi-medium thesis Vantage. Cate’s favorite meal is dinner, especially when it’s eaten way too late because it took too much time and love to eat on time.

Christian Titer/Christian BleachChristian Titer (Bleach) is a New York-based artist and engineer. Christian received his certificate in Audio Engineering from the SAE NYC. He currently makes original music under the pseudonym Christian Bleach, and as 1/2 of the duo Dr3am T3am. Christian’s favorite food is a Reuben sandwich shared with “me, myself, and i.”


Nicky BrownNicky Brown hails from and currently resides in Poughkeepsie, New York, though he did take a few years to get a writing degree from SUNY Oswego. Nicky is an avid food eater and the consumption of culinary deliciousness is perhaps his second most driving force. The first being his desire for a world where every single human being can eat three meals a day with a roof over their head. Get a deeper glimpse into his brain by following him on twitter @nickybiswashed. Nicky's favorite meal is homemade macaroni and cheese shared with his mom.