Rachael Forstrom, Executive Artistic Director of Momentum Dance Academy since 2017. Rachael has been teaching, choreographing, and performing professionally for over 20 years. Originally from Southwest Ohio, she began her dance training at the DeWeese Academy of Dance Arts with Phyllis DeWeese, Former Ballet Mistress with the Cincinnati Ballet. Mrs Forstrom received her BFA in Dance from Ohio University in 2003, with an emphasis on Performance and Choreography. After college, she moved to Columbus, Ohio where she performed with Anatomical Scenario, Tupaco Dance, The Columbus Crewzers, Columbus Movement Movement(CM2), Vaudvillities, and Snap! Performance Productions. In 2009, she had the opportunity to be a Dance Ambassador in the INLA Dance Festival in Beijing, China. In 2012 Rachael relocated to the PNW, where she has had the opportunity to work with several Seattle choreographers and dancers creating and performing throughout the city.  She served as Technical Director/Company Member with Serendipity Dance Brigade from 2013-2015, and founded and Directed Ktisk Contemporary Dance from 2015-2017. Mrs Forstrom has created works for various community dance productions, including the Columbus Dance Festival and the Seattle International Dance Festival. 

  Rachael has been directing and coordinating youth and professional dance programs since 2009, starting with the founding of Youth Co. a Youth repertory company for 1st - 7th graders at Dublin Dance Center in Dubin, OH. During her time as Artistic Director at Momentum, she has staged 12 full length ballets including: The Nutcracker, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Swan Lake, Coppelia,  and Sleeping Beauty as well as producing two seasonal performances for Contemporary and Creative Dance programming yearly. In 2019, Mrs Forstrom created and produced MERGE NW, a pre-professional youth dance festival fostering community and connectivity. 

  As a teacher, Rachael is dedicated to creating a positive learning environment where all ages and abilities are welcome. She believes in focusing on dance as a holistic experience while providing high caliber technical training. Many of her former students have continued dance on a professional path both collegiately and with companies nationally, including: BalletMet, Ballet Pensacola, Boston Ballet, Columbus Dance Theater, Chicago Repertory Ballet, Fort Wayne Ballet, Joffrey Chicago, and Louisville Ballet.