Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachelle Davis.
Hi Rachelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, in a dance and sporting household. My mother was a professional dancer and dance studio owner, and my father was an ultramarathon runner. Growing up around athletes, I always found myself encouraging others and finding ways to help them overcome obstacles. I started teaching dance when I was 15 years old and competed at a high level in dance, water polo, sport aerobics, and netball. I went on to study Sport Psychology at the most elite high-performance center in South Africa, TUKS, at the University of Pretoria. I loved everything about high-level athletes and the tools to help them succeed, and I was fascinated by the mind.
In 2006, I met my now-husband, and in 2008, we embarked on an epic adventure around the world that saw us living in Dubai for six years, the Gold Coast, Australia, for two years, and then, by way of winning the green card lottery, we moved to Los Angeles for one and a half years before making our home in Austin in 2017. Throughout our journey, I was a freelance professional dancer and entertainer and continued teaching and doing choreography.
I studied Advanced Fitness & Nutrition at an international training facility in Australia, hoping to find a truly holistic approach to health and fitness involving the mind, body, and nutrition. While coaching dancers in Austin from 2017 to 2021, I became increasingly aware of the mental toll COVID-19 and isolation had on my athletes, and their deteriorating mental health was quite concerning. In August 2021, I took the leap and launched my online mindset coaching business, Umbrella Project, in the hopes of bringing awareness to these issues and helping dancers in a safe and healthy environment, one-on-one, with my personally developed mindset coaching program. The immediate results I saw with the initial eight dancers who signed up were astounding and motivated me to keep going.
As of now, I’ve had 26 dancers complete the 12-week program. I have had many more do limited one-on-one sessions with me for specific situations related to dance and mindset, as well as basketball, football, and tennis athletes. I run mindset and movement workshops in Austin, hosted in different dance studios, and I continue to teach, coach, strength train, and choreograph for a wide variety of dancers in Austin, Florida, and South Africa when I get to go back home.
Just this week, I launched the third facet of the Umbrella Project called “Umbrella Strong,” which focuses on strength training for dancers to ensure longevity in dance, injury prevention, and a more holistic way for these athletes to execute the skills that are now required of them. My ultimate dream is to open a high-performance dance facility in Austin that caters to all dancers for all their health and wellness needs, from mind, body, strength, rehabilitation, and sickness, to everything in between.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but for that, I am truly very grateful. I would not be the person I am today or carry the wisdom and insight I have, especially regarding mental health, had I not faced these struggles. One of the hardest struggles was overcoming the insecurities that developed in me as a dancer throughout the years. It’s a very tough road to walk as is, but with things like body insecurity, comparison to others, constantly critiquing yourself in front of a mirror all day, and then having those insecurities voiced out loud when being judged in competition or in a training environment that isn’t conducive to positive mental health, a lot of baggage is accumulated along the way. The process of working through this after the fact is truly grueling.
I have been through it all, and this is why I am so passionate about helping others who are in the process so they don’t have to deal with the negative effects down the road.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an artist and creative, I have danced since the age of 3 and have been a choreographer and teacher since the age of 15. Just before leaving South Africa, I participated in a reality dance TV show similar to America’s So You Think You Can Dance. It followed the same format, with thousands of dancers across South Africa auditioning. I made it to the live shows with voting and ended up in the top 5. It was an incredible experience and really launched my career as a freelance dancer.
The height of my career was the six years I spent as a professional dancer and choreographer in Dubai. I got to work alongside artists like Snoop Dogg, JLo, Kylie Minogue, and many more. Dubai provided an amazing opportunity for dancers to work at major events alongside incredible artists and collaborate in such a unique way. I often look back on these moments fondly and can’t believe I was part of events like the opening of Atlantis Dubai, the Dubai World Cup, The Act Dubai, and many more. I also had the privilege of working one-on-one with some of the children of the Dubai Royal Family.
I have also won numerous choreography awards in the US for pieces I’ve choreographed for the competition and convention circuit, some at the national level. It is truly an honor to be recognized in this way.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
As a dancer, I truly know I reached the heights of my career because of my unshakable work ethic. I was always comfortable doing the hard things, which propelled me beyond those around me. Having a belief that things can unfold the way you want them to and then doing everything you can to make that happen is a great mindset to have. Learning to know who you are and why you do what you do is so important to the journey.
I hear many dancers say they want to be just like someone they look up to, but I want them to know that they only need to look within. Every dancer is unique in ability and expression, and there is a place for everyone in this world to excel and be who they want to be. It’s amazing to take those around you as inspiration and not as competition, and this becomes doable when you believe you are like no one else.
I wish I had been more present in the moments that mattered and let go of the negativity and drama that surrounded me in much of what I did. It’s part of the industry, but we all have the ability to effect change in the rooms we walk into. I always tell my dancers, “be the thermostat, not the thermometer.” You set the energy in a room and control how you approach every situation. With a holistic mindset and an understanding of the importance of mental health, we can create beautiful environments where others can thrive.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @rachelledavis_dancermindset and @umbrellaproject_coaching
- Website: www.umbrellaproject.dance
Image Credits
Bethany Miller BM&CO Photos
