Rachel began her dancing journey in Christchurch, learning ballet from the age of three. At ten years old, she discovered ballroom dancing and quickly found her true passion. She began examinations and competitions at 16, setting the foundation for what would become a lifelong dedication to dance.
Rachel also holds her Licentiate qualifications with NZFATD in Ballroom, Latin American, and New Vogue styles.
After moving to Gore, Rachel opened her very first studio in the front room of her home in 1994. From these humble beginnings, Rachel’s Studio of Dance has grown into the thriving and successful studio it is today.
Between 1994 and 2011, the studio moved through four different locations within Gore before settling into its current home at 27 Hyde Street. Since then, the space has been renovated and developed, including the addition of a purpose-built dancefloor, allowing the studio to continue growing and supporting generations of dancers.
Rachel teaches and supports dancers of all ages and stages. From two-year-olds in Tiny Tots, to school students, social dancers, competitive athletes, and elderly members of the community.
In 2006, she founded the Southland Festival of Dance, currently the only Dancesport competition south of Christchurch. This event has brought competitors, adjudicators, and professionals from across New Zealand to celebrate and grow the Dancesport community in Southland.
Rachel has spent many years working alongside IDEA Services and multiple primary and secondary schools, providing free dance opportunities to hundreds of people across the region. In recognition of her dedication and commitment to dance in the Southland community, she was awarded the New Zealander of the Year Local Heroes Award.
Throughout her career, Rachel has coached many competitive dancers and crews to both national and international levels, achieving numerous New Zealand titles. She is passionate about teaching strong technique and building solid foundations across all styles, while also sharing the joy and beauty of dance with her wider community.
Now based in Manapōuri, she continues to travel to Gore to teach classes and work behind the scenes creating opportunities for both the studio and the wider community. Deeply passionate about dance, Rachel has dedicated her life to sharing this passion with her family and community – creating a legacy that continues to inspire dancers of all ages.
Mikayla has been part of Rachel’s Studio of Dance her entire life, quite literally growing up in the studio after first watching from the sidelines as a baby. She stepped onto the competition floor at just two years old and completed her first dance exam at three, beginning a lifelong journey in dance. Since then, Mikayla has successfully completed all of her examinations, including achieving her Oscars across all three styles: Ballroom, Latin American, and New Vogue.
With a strong competitive background, Mikayla has won over 100 New Zealand titles with her partners and has also represented NZ competing in Australia. Her passion for performance and creativity led her to direct and choreograph the studio’s first full-scale showcase, Ballroom Hits Broadway, in 2018 at just 17 years old, an event that sold out completely and received huge support from the community.
From 2020 to 2025, Mikayla opened and ran the Invercargill studio, building a supportive and thriving dance community. While the Invercargill studio is currently paused, she is now focused on her young family and the Gore studio.
Mikayla is also currently a local primary school teacher and is passionate about supporting young dancers through the primary school section of the Southland Festival of Dance each year. She loves that this event gives students the opportunity to learn, perform, and compete for free alongside other schools in the region.
Mikayla is deeply passionate about creating unique, personalised choreography that brings out the best in each individual dancer. While she loves all three styles, she holds a special passion for Latin. She currently offers private lessons as well as the specialised Performance Pulse class for dancers ready to take their skills to the next level.
You’ll often find Mikayla around the studio supporting dancers, capturing moments for social media, and working behind the scenes – usually with baby Arley by her side.
