Rachel’s rich creative background – ballet, visual arts, dancer and theatre performer, aerial dance artist, running independent creative businesses, and being a parent all inform her role as a director/facilitator for Bare Toed. Rachel left school after A levels and spent the next few years travelling, dabblingand gathering experience before starting a family and a business in 1994. In 1996 Rachel started studying Gabrielle Roth’s ‘5 Rhythms’ (www.gabrielleroth.com) improvisational movement practice,  qualifying as a teacher in 2001. She continues to both study, teach (www.deeperdance.org.uk) and be inspired by 5 Rhythms in all her work. Rachel has a long-term interest in psychology and has completed several short courses at the Geastalt Centre in London. She is particularly interested in research into the effects of creativity and movement play on child development.