About Rachael Arnwine

Rachael Arnwine is an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre & Dance. A Memphis native and graduate of The University of Memphis, she holds an MS in Exercise, Sport, & Movement Sciences, a BFA in Theater Performance with a concentration in Dance, and a BS in Exercise, Sport, & Movement Sciences. Rachael has performed with Tennessee Ballet Theater, Opera Memphis, Hot Foot Honeys, Racine + Southern Dance Exchange, and has performed in music videos for artists such as Julien Baker and Brennan Villines. She is a certified board member of the Southern Association of Dance Masters as well as the International Association of Dance Medicine & Science where she is a published author in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. Her specific interests lie within dance science, bridging dance with kinesiology and research in injury mechanisms. In addition, she is a dance instructor at local dance studios in the Memphis community and a freelance choreographer. 

Her musical theatre choreographies include Working: A Musical, Starting Here, Starting Now, and SpongeBob the Musical. Rachael’s teaching specialties include tap, jazz, musical theatre dance, contemporary, and dance science curriculum.  

“Instruction using safe dance practices is of utmost importance in my classes. I am passionate about dancers being knowledgeable about their bodies, as it is their tool as an artist. If dancers do not understand the mechanics of the moving human body, they do themself a disservice by being placed at higher risk for injury and limiting their movement potential. When describing movement, I begin with an anatomical approach, which clarifies what area(s) of the body are involved, and then a biomechanical explanation of the movement. This merging of dance with movement sciences is something I have long been passionate about, as it significantly informs dancers on sound movement practices.” 

Education

Master of Science, University of Memphis, Exercise, Sport, & Movement Sciences, 2019 
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Memphis, Theatre Performance- Dance Concentration, 2017 
Bachelor of Science, University of Memphis, Health & Human Performance, 2017 

 

Experience

Professional

• Visiting Assistant Professor of Practice, 2024-present 
• Adjunct Professor, 2019-2023 
• Research Graduate Assistant, Dr. Douglas Powell, 2017-2019 
• Company Teacher & Choreographer 
• Ginny Mount School of Dance, 2015-present 
• The Dance Academy of Bartlett, 2020-present 

Honors and Awards

• Destined 2 Dance Award, 2023 
• Mid-South Biomechanics Conference Presenter, 2018, 2019 
• Mid-South Biomechanics Conference Award, 2018                                                            
• University of Memphis Choreography Award, 2017          

Research and Scholarly Activities

Research Interests

Dance Science: injury mechanism, injury prevention, accessibility of dance science materials to dancers and dance educators 

Publications

Arnwine, R., Powell, D., Sex Differences in Ground Reaction Force Profiles in Ballet Dancers During a Single-Leg Landing Task, Journal of Dance Medicine and Science, 2020.