COCA Alum, Hadley Schnuck
COCA Alum Hadley Schnuck became involved in theatre at Walnut Hill Summer Theatre School. She then began taking classes at COCA after that.
“It was there that I realized I could dance. And that’s what I really loved,” Hadley said. “So, then I started taking classes that following school year.”
Hadley started taking COCA classes in her sophomore year, focusing primarily on jazz, and performed in The Tempest. She studied with longtime COCA teachers Lee Nolting and Vivian Anderson-Watts, who made a lasting impression.
“The training at COCA was so healthy, both physically and emotionally. I not only got a great technical foundation, but it was also a safe space to push my boundaries. When I first started taking class, I was 16 in a class of 12-year-olds. Ms. Lee never let me feel insecure about it and pushed me the right amount.”
Hadley graduated from COCA in 2001 and moved to New York, exploring her path in the performing arts.
“I knew I wanted to be in the performing arts industry, but I didn’t know exactly in what capacity. While I was in New York, I started taking classes at Broadway Dance Center, and then I did work study there. That really helped me figure out that this is what I want to do.”
Hadley began as a performer, later becoming an associate director, choreographer, and producer. In 2016, she created her first short film in Cuba, named Latido de Corazón. In addition, Hadley co-produced Buena Vista Social Club, which won five Tony Awards and two Chita Rivera Awards, and is currently lead producing a full-length documentary about a Cuban singer.
“I got into this place where I feel like I’m creating my own life, which is amazing. It can be challenging at times. But it’s a good problem,” added Hadley.
Hadley considers her U.S.–Cuba collaborations among the most impactful moments of her career, celebrating authentic cultural collaboration through art.
“When you get artists together from different backgrounds and come together to create something, there is a sweet spot where the individual meets the universal, where art can be its most powerful.”
Now living in Sarasota, Florida, Hadley continues to work in production but is reconnecting with movement.
“There is a big need for adult jazz in Sarasota—like classic jazz,” said Hadley. “I’m gearing up to teach, which started as something by request from people learning my dance background, but it’s turned into something that I’ve realized that I need for myself, that I need to be back in a studio.”
As Hadley begins her teaching career, she finds inspiration in the guidance she received from Ms. Lee and reconnects with the roots of her artistry, bringing her creative path back to where it began at COCA.
Hadley’s advice for emerging artists: “There is a place for you. It may not seem like it at times, but if you stay true to yourself, you will find it. The world needs your exact combination of skills and character traits. The things that light you up or tug on your soul are not random; they are often clues to your purpose.”
Photo Credits: Featured Image by Laszlo Rathonyi, Headshot by Sorcha Augustine, Opening Night of Buena Vista Social Club by Andy Henderson
