Rachael McLaren
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rachael McLaren | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985 or 1986 (age 40–41) Manitoba, Canada |
| Occupations | dancer, tennis drawer |
| Career | |
| Former groups | Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater |
Rachael McLaren is a Canadian dancer who performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
McLaren was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was the youngest of four children. She started ballet at age five, at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School's recreational program, where she was one of the only black students, and was rejected by the professional program, as she was "not a fit".[1]
Career
At age 17, she was cast as an ensemble member and an understudy of Ali in the Toronto production of Mamma Mia!, despite having little vocal training.[2][3] Two years later, in 2006, she joined Ailey II in New York City, and entered the main company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in 2008.[4] She dances both contemporary ballet and modern dance in the company.[1] In 2016, on the occasion of Chroma's 10th anniversary, she and four of her colleagues performed the piece with dancers from The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, London.[5][6]
As of June 2019, she is no longer on the Ailey company's roster.[7]
