Rachel Weitekamp is the owner and artistic director of Sunflower State Dance. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas class of 2015, where she studied Psychology and Dance. Miss Rachel has taught at the studio since 2012 and became the owner in 2014 when she rebranded it to Sunflower State Dance.

Prior to moving to Kansas, Miss Rachel studied dance at Dance Arts Studio of Springfield, IL where she was an assistant teacher throughout high school. There she developed an eagerness to teach and create through her mentors and instructors Grace Nanavati and Gina DeCroix-Russell. Through this opportunity Miss Rachel found that she aspired to teach her own dance classes one day.

In high school Miss Rachel was a member of the Springfield Ballet Company, a pre-professional ballet company, under the artistic direction of Julie Ratz. As a company member she was cast in many productions including the Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Romeo + Juliet, and contemporary shows. Her senior year of high school Miss Rachel had the opportunity to choreograph her own dance production in SBC’s student choreographed showcase DancerWorks, when she kindled a love of choreography.

In addition to dance, Miss Rachel also studied music throughout her childhood and teenage years which has helped her as a teacher and choreographer time and time again.

Miss Rachel has also been a participant in Nashville Ballet’s summer intensive and Carolina Ballet Theatre’s Summer Works programs. In the summer of 2017 she attended the Dance Teachers Summit in Long Beach, CA. In 2020 she became YPAD Safety and Wellness certified and in 2022 she became a certified instructor with Rhythm Works Integrative Dance and completed the basic and beginning levels of the Nan Giordano Certification Program for Giordano jazz technique.

Miss Rachel has a passion and love of dance that she enjoys sharing with her students and families at Sunflower State Dance. In her free time she enjoys volunteering, antique hunting, going out to eat at the fantastic local Lawrence restaurants, and spending time with family.

• Favorite Style of Dance: Classical Ballet and preschool dance

• Pets: Cat named Scooter and rescue dog Cricket.

• Community Organizations: Eudora Chamber of Commerce Board Member 2015-2019 and current member, LWN (formerly Lawrence Women’s Network)-member, Lawrence Young Professionals member, and is a big sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

• Certifications:

  • Adult and Pediatric First Aid and CPR/AED through the American Red Cross

  • Rhythm Works Integrative Dance certified

  • Nan Giordano Certification Program, Giordano jazz dance technique in basic and beginning levels.

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid certified by the National Council For Mental Wellbeing