Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith (Plymouth, MA) began her training at Boston Ballet School, South Shore Ballet Theatre, and The Brookline Ballet School. She then continued her training at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in the Graduate Program where she performed alongside the company in Terrance Orr’s 'The Nutcracker'. After Pittsburgh, Rachel joined Nashville Ballet as a Trainee where she performed alongside the company in Paul Vasterling’s 'Nashville’s Nutcracker'.
Rachel started her professional career at American Midwest Ballet and their (former) sister company Ballet Vero Beach. In her five seasons at AMB and BVB, Rachel had the opportunity to perform in many full length productions such as ‘Swan Lake’ by Matthew Lovegood, ‘The Nutcracker’ by Erika Overturff, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ staged by Erika Overturff, ‘Nutcracker on the Indian River’ by Adam Schnell, and ‘Wizard of Oz’ by Erin Alarcon.
Notable roles include Emerald Demi-soloist in Erin Alarcon’s ‘Wizard of Oz’, Soloist in Adam Schnell’s ‘Friends and Lover’s’, Soloist in Samuel Kurkjian’s ‘Debussy Suite’, and Soloist in Adam Schnell’s ‘Pas de Cinq Russe’. Rachel also had the pleasure of working with various guest choreographers in her time in Omaha and Vero Beach. She performed in Mariana Oliveria’s ‘Death and the Maiden’, Frank Chavez’s ‘Habaneras: The Music of Cuba.’, Ann Reinking’s staging of ‘In the Style of Bob Fosse’, and Ariel Grossman’s ‘Ori’.
In 2022, Rachel joined New England Ballet Theatre as a Company Artist. She has had the privilege to perform many full length ballets created by NEBT Artistic Director Rachael Gnatowski. Notable Principal and Soloist roles include: Martha in Pictures at an Exhibition, Summer Fairy in Cinderella, Etoile in The Red Shoes, Hartford Doll and Flower Fairy Doll in The Fantastic Toyshop, and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In her time at NEBT Rachel has also been featured in works by guest choreographers Janelle Gilchrist, Saki Morimoto, Sarah Grace Mastro, and Michael Uthoff. Rachel is the Co-Chair of the NEBT Women’s Committee, a member of the Social Media Team, and a Faculty member of The School of New England Ballet Theatre.
Rachel has had the opportunity to perform as a Guest Artist over the years, noteworthy roles include: Sugar Plum Fairy and Dew Drop in ‘The Nutcracker' at South Shore Ballet Theatre, Soloist in ‘Ritornello’ by Camilo A. Rodriguez with Ballet Vero Beach, and Russian Girl and Waltz Girl in excerpts of ‘Serenade’ by George Balanchine at South Shore Ballet Theatre.
This will be Rachel’s 6th season at NEBT and is honored to be one of the first Principal Dancers in the company’s history.