Rachel Slater is an award-winning dance artist, filmmaker and educator based in Portland, OR. She holds a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from the former University of the Arts. She serves as the co-Artistic Director of Muddy Feet Contemporary Dance with Suzanne Chi, and the Director of Dance Film of BODYART’s International Dance Festival New Orleans. 

With Muddy Feet, she has produced, choreographed, and performed in productions both in Portland and internationally. Her work in dance film has been screened at over 45 festivals in 25 countries, garnering awards such as Best Dance Film, Best Experimental Film, and Best Pandemic Film.

As a performer, Rachel has appeared on stage with Minh Tran & Company, Franco Nieto, and Tracey Durbin, among others. Rachel has been presenting work and performing at events since 2009, including Ten Tiny Dances, TedXPortland, the ROCKY Awards, the Philly Fringe, Pacific Dance Makers, MOVE MOVE MOVE Fest and others. 

As an educator, Rachel has taught at Tulane University, Reed College, Pacific University, the National High School Dance Festival, Jefferson High School/the Jefferson Dancers, Vancouver School of the Arts, BodyVox Dance Center, and more. She has also been an Artist In Residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity (Canada), Hambidge Center (Georgia), New Expressive Works (Oregon), Sou’wester (Washington), and the Portland Grief House. 

Rachel believes that, at its best, artmaking is a radical, humanist act that uses empathy to support and amplify stories. Inspired by lived histories, interpersonal relationships, and location-specific filming, she is deeply committed to curating creative spaces that are respectful, safe, and collaborative. After her mother received a terminal diagnosis, Rachel spent much of 2023-24 as a caregiver, pursuing writing, film, and movement as a solo practice. She is a 2025 Spark Award Recipient from the Miller Foundation.