Rachel Jade, originally from Porthcawl, South Wales began dancing aged 2½ at her local dance school, where she studied Ballet, Tap and Jazz until turning 18. She then broadened her dance training and started to attend dance classes in Cardiff where she was introduced to Rubicon Dance, a dance community with various dance classes and courses for all ages and abilities.

 

In Cardiff Rachel attended nightly dance sessions whilst working in retail but found time to teach after-school street dance classes at her local comprehensive school where she was able to share her creative choreography. Growing in confidence and ability Rachel travelled to London to train which further enhanced her abilities.

Then, aged 20, Rachel chose to study the full-time Preliminary Dance Course back at Rubicon Dance – a 2-year course that would prepare her to achieve her life-long dream of becoming a professional dancer.

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Unfortunately, only 1-year into the course Rachel suffered an injury to her foot. Due to an incorrect diagnosis she continued to train and dance on the foot. Months later

came the devastating news that she had a condition known as Avascular Necrosis – whereby training and dancing, a piece of fragmented bone in the ball of her foot resulted in a loss of blood supply to the region of bone. Rachel’s dance training came to a cruel and abrupt end, her dreams were shattered, and her lifetime of training seemed wasted. This was devastating, dance was Rachel’s life, it was how she expressed herself, it was who she was – and it had been taken away.

 

Following this were 2 incredibly challenging years for Rachel, a never ending cycle of prosthetic and orthopaedic treatments culminating some 2-years later in surgery to bring to an end the agonising pain she suffered with her foot and heel. Subsequently she was supported by a talented physiotherapist, Kent Fyrth in Cardiff, who slowly helped Rachel rebuild her strength and confidence. Time passed and when Kent suggested that Rachel could begin to ease herself back into training she had the realisation that her life had changed. She was working full-time, commuting to work and found it challenging to get back into dancing – her life had changed and she accepted that dancing would no longer be her career, rather a passion she would always appreciate and value.

 

Then in early 2018 Rachel spotted a weighted Hula Hoop and thought it would be a fun exercise to do from home before or after work. Rachel took to Hula Hooping naturally and soon developed a passion for the Hula Hoop, exercising made her laugh and smile and allowed her to let go- just in the same way she did when dancing.

 

The inner dancer couldn’t be held at bay and she was soon incorporating elements of her recovery physiotherapy and dancing into the Hula Hoop exercises. At the same time she left her home in South Wales, heading to Windsor to begin a new career…of course the Hula Hoop came with her.

 

Quietly Rachel continued dancing in the Hula Hoop a few times a week, however, didn’t realise exactly what she has created for herself until COVID-19. In March 2020, Rachel’s best friend and housemate, Terese, was forced into isolation. Confined to her room Terese was watching Rachel dance with the Hula Hoop and was blown away with what she saw, Terese commented that she had never seen anything like it and encouraged Rachel to post it to show people. On her first day out of isolation Terese and fellow housemate Luigi recorded Rachel, they made their first post and shared with everyone Rachels passion and talent.

 

At the suggestion of friends to post Hula Hoop tutorials Hula Dancercise was born

 

Hula – in reference to the Hula Hoop.

Dancercise – in reference to her passion for dancing and combined exercise.

 

On 1st June 2020, Rachel shared her very first tutorial and had created her social media Channels

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