As an injured ballet dancer, Renée Raiche was first introduced to the famous Luigi dance technique by Joey Doucette in San Diego and fell in love with its beautiful lines, fluid movement and healing principles.  She moved to NYC in 1994 specifically to study with Luigi and master his famous technique and earned a coveted scholarship at the Luigi Jazz Center while attending Fordham University.  Along with Patrick Campbell, another Luigi scholarship student, she co-founded the Orenda Theater Company and produced, choreographed and performed original works based on the Luigi style. A fixture on the downtown theater scene, Renée performed in numerous award winning Off- Broadway and Fringe Festival plays.  She served as a judge and master teacher with the North American Talent Tours dance competition teaching Luigi’s famed technique and continues to substitute teach at the Luigi Jazz Center in NYC.  She has studied with him, taught for him and performed his and others work for over 20 years most recently performing for Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Inc. & Luigi tribute concerts, the annual Luigi Jazz Memorial Show and Luigi… A Benefit Tribute Concert.  Other major producing credits include Roberto Benigni’s North American tour of Tutto Dante and Pino Daniele at the Apollo Theater.  Luigi always said that a great artist was first a great human being with a responsibility to share their gifts with the world. Taking Luigi’s words to heart, Renée has found a passion in sharing his most famous motto, “Never Stop Moving” to a variety of audiences around the country.

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Certified in IM=X Pilates in 2001, Renée currently serves as the lead Master Trainer at IM=X Pilates, Inc. creating content and teaching continuing education throughout the US and Canada.   She is the head trainer at the IM=X Pilates NYC location working closely with the chiropractic team providing therapeutic exercise to clients and is a certified yoga teacher with over 500 hours of training specializing in Yoga Therapeutics.  She started the Chair Yoga program for seniors at Central Harlem Senior Citizens Center and is a member of Connected Warriors bringing yoga and meditation to veterans.  She has taught yoga, pilates & meditation in both private and corporate settings and has completed 5 marathons including the NYC Marathon and the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC raising money for wounded service members.  Some corporate clients include:  BMW, Merrill Lynch, Prudential Securities, Bear Stearns, Louis Vuitton, The Open Society Foundation & National Urban League.

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Renée is overjoyed to reunite with Joey in this most important project to preserve the legacy and work of Luigi and pass it on to the next generation of dancers.  It is with profound gratitude that she counts among her teachers:  Eugene Louis Facciutto (Luigi), Rhett Dennis, Joey Doucette, Molly Molloy, Francis Roach, Elyse McNergney (founder and & CEO of IM=X Pilates ), Paula Tursi (owner of Reflections Yoga), Amy Matthews and Leslie Kaminoff (authors of “Yoga Anatomy”), Eric Franklin ( creator of The Franklin Method), Dr. Linda Lancaster (Naturopath, homeopath, author of “Harmonic Healing” & Yogi Bajan’s private physician) and last but not least, her amazing daughter, Ava Buckley.