ABOUT

Rachel Helten is a dance artist, choreographer, and teacher based on the unceded indigenous land of the Coast Salish peoples, including the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stóō (Stolo), and Səl̓ílwəta/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations in Vancouver, B.C. She has a BFA in Dance from Simon Fraser University. The cornerstones of Rachel's creative practice are found in deep listening, collaboration, interdisciplinary methods and unearthing the stories that live within our bodies. Her work is often charged with a curiosity of how we interact and respond to our real and imagined worlds and how vulnerable states can transform and liberate us.

In like manner, Rachel has been blessed to be a part of processes that nurture these fascinations with a vast array of artists. In her experience as a student, she has worked with Judith Garay, Rob Kitsos, Dorotea Saykaly, Vanessa Goodman, Heather Myers, Gioconda Barbuto, Emmalena Fredriksson, Peter Bingham, Sarah Chase, and Crystal Pite. Her select credits as an independent artist are working with Desirée Dunbar, Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, The Plastic Orchid Factory, The East Vancouver Opera, Voirelia: Psychology, Philosophy and Dance Hub, Kinesis Dance Somatheatro, Chaos Emblematic and Okams Racer. Her work has been presented at Goldcorp Centre for The Arts, Frederic Wood Theatre, Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre, Aberthau, The Dance Centre, The Cultch, 45 W where she co-produced a fundraiser for The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Lobe Studios, The Fox Cabaret, Chaos Emblematic Productions: Hosek Contemporary, Treptower Park in Berlin and others.

Rachel’s intention to aid in the emancipation and healing of herself and others has intimately transformed her artistic practice and has led her to various corners of the earth. Rachel gleaned insight from teaching dance at an art therapy centre in Quito, Ecuador. In addition, Rachel's artistic journey has led her to create work, train, and teach in places such as Quito, Ecuador; Florence, Italy; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cascais, Portugal; Brooklyn, United States; Barcelona, Spain; and Berlin, Germany. She is a member of Berlin based arts collective CHAOS EMBLEMATIC under the direction of Britt Angus and Vancouver based arts collective Okams Racer under the direction of Ana Sosa.

In Fall 2023, Soma Anima Arts, formerly known as Kinesis Dance, began a leadership transition as founder Paras Terezakis moved on to new ventures in Greece. In April 2024, Rachel Helten assumed the role of artistic director. Under her leadership, Soma Anima Arts continues to cultivate an environment for exploring full physical, emotional, and creative potential through education, community engagement, outreach, cultural exchange, research, creation, and production. Rachel is dedicated to nurturing creativity, empowering individuals through the healing power of art, and honouring our interconnectedness and the grace of nature in her work.

"My desire to liberate myself and others fuels my artistic practice. I am a dance artist, choreographer, teacher and interdisciplinary creator. My process often incorporates found text, poetry, personal reflections, movement generation in the wilderness, voice, gestural and highly physical movement, intimacy and a great deal of play. I have an eagerness to establish meaningful connections with my collaborators, audiences and students in the pursuit of, facilitating presence, vulnerability and catharsis. While supporting safe spaces to analyze what exists in our universal consciousness. Through deep listening I hope to honour the voices of each collaborator. While utilizing the power of movement and conception as a path towards releasing generational, cultural and societal programming. Through interdisciplinary methods and contact with nature I intend to unearth and explore the stories that live within our bodies."

Recent projects.

Learn more.

To learn more about Rachel's work as a healing facilitator and mentor.
Visit the following sites:
ZENDEN
WAVES WITHIN | Coming Soon

Rachel Helten.

Recent projects.

Learn more.

[email protected]