Conversations with Rachel Leigh Dolan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Leigh Dolan.

Hi Rachel Leigh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started dancing when I was three and it hasn’t stopped since then. I have always been creative and curious and knew from a young age that I wanted to work in entertainment.

When I was 14 years old, Debbie Allen discovered me at an Open Call audition in my hometown of Washington, DC. From then, I went on to train with Ms. Allen and consider her a mentor, guide, and inspiration for what is possible when you have a dream. Her impact on the dance world is immeasurable. I hope to be like that one day.

I attended college for Journalism and spent my days taking dance classes at Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center. I started choreographing college productions, and that’s where the choreographic spark really took off. I left New York City after graduating to apprentice with my home dance teacher and started a career in Regional Theatre in Washington, DC.

By 2018, I had won two Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Choreography (with seven total nominations) and knew I wanted to be back in New York City. So I moved back and I have been hustling in the city since then. I never stop, and when the pandemic hit I started an arts project called best8 that creates dance for film and features historically excluded artists in all aspects of production. I consider myself a social disrupter and artist, and I always feel called to give back!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It is never smooth. There isn’t one path towards a career in performing arts. Somedays I feel like I am climbing uphill with no destination in sight. Other days I feel on top of the world. Mostly, the hardest part is trying not to compare myself to my peers. My dad has an expression, “don’t compare your insides to someone else’s outsides.” I carry that a lot with me. There is a difference between what we perceive and what is truth. As artists, we have to check back in with our “why” when it feels hard, and I have to be honest, there are more hard days than easy days.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in Musical Theater Dance and Choreography. I am most proud of the collective of artists and collaborators that I have surrounded myself with. We are only as good as the company we keep, and when I see something in someone, I pull them into my fold pretty quickly. When someone is an amazing artist, I will find a way to work with them or create a project with them. I think that’s what sets me apart. I am incredibly passionate about lifting people up, and I hope I will be known for helping guide the careers of my students/mentees.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My best advice for starting out in anything is to be a student first. Go into every experience with a learning mind and open heart. Even the hardest gigs can teach us so much. I look back at certain jobs and think, “Wow, I would have done that so differently if I had another opportunity.” And in those moments, I know that that was the lesson I needed to learn. Be a beginner for as long as you need. I still feel like a beginner and I’ve choreographed countless productions.

Contact Info:

• Email: rachelleighdolan@gmail.com
• Website: www.rachelleighdolan.com
• Instagram: @therizdiz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyensoxb1_qV6IrntMrOH4Q
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user10040516

Image Credits:
Olive Juice Prints Kamera Shoots