Rena Butler is a Chicago-born choreographer and performer whose work is recognized for its athleticism, emotional depth, and striking physicality. A graduate of The Chicago Academy for the Arts, she continued her studies at Taipei National University of the Arts and received her BFA from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance. 

Butler has performed with acclaimed companies including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, where she also served as Choreographic Fellow, A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, David Dorfman Dance, and Gibney Company, where she also served as the inaugural Choreographic Associate. Her choreographic commissions span renowned institutions such as The National Ballet of Canada, Het Nationale Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Gauthier Dance, le Ballet de l'Opéra Grand Avignon, Ailey II, Cincinnati Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theater, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, and San Francisco Opera. 

Butler’s work often explores themes of identity, community, and human connection through a dynamic and fluid movement language. She is the recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Award, the Ferradini Grander Award by the Danza in Arte a Pietrasanta Festival in collaboration with Italy's Ministry of Culture, and an Isadora Duncan Dance Awards honor for choreography. Her work has been featured in Dance Magazine, reflecting her growing influence in the field. In addition to her creative career, Butler is a dedicated educator, having taught at The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch School for the Arts, and Jacob’s Pillow. She continues to create and collaborate internationally while contributing to the evolution of contemporary dance.