Rachel Helten is an interdisciplinary artist, dancer, choreographer, and educator who also explores writing, singing, composition, and acting as integral threads in her artistic practice. She is based in so-called Vancouver on the unceded ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, and acknowledges and honours the enduring presence and sovereignty of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities.

With a BFA in Dance from Simon Fraser University, Rachel’s work emphasizes deep listening, collaboration, and interdisciplinary approaches. Her practice investigates the relationship between earthly and ethereal realms, exploring how embodied vulnerability fosters personal and collective liberation. She has collaborated with many heart-led artists, including Chaos Emblematic, Okams Racer, Voirelia, Dezza Dance, KOFI, Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, The Plastic Orchid Factory, among others, and has presented her work locally and internationally, with research, and creation taking her to cities such as Quito, Florence, Buenos Aires, Cascais, Brooklyn, Barcelona, and Berlin.

In 2024, Rachel became the Artistic Director of soma anima arts, evolving from Kinesis Dance somatheatro—an organization founded in 1986 by Greek-Canadian artist Paraskevas Terezakis. Under her leadership, the company continues its legacy of innovation while expanding its vision to reflect values of compassion, intersectionality, and imaginative inquiry. soma anima arts produces immersive interdisciplinary work that weaves together dance, music, theatre, literary arts, and visual media, engaging in storytelling, cultural exchange, site-responsive creation, and thoughtful, in-depth artistic research.

Rooted in inclusivity, equity, and care, the organization explores themes of transformation, connection to the earth, and unseen worlds—aiming to inspire radical empathy, decolonize consciousness, foster community well-being, and contribute to a more just, loving, and interconnected world.