Impact: Power to Change Impact: Power to Change
September 2023–August 2024
COCA Students in Ballet Eclectica Participate in RDA National Festival
Ballet Eclectica, COCA’s Pre-Professional Division classical & contemporary ballet dance company, participated in the Regional Dance America (RDA) National Festival in Daytona Beach in April. During the Festival, 19 COCA high school students attended classes led by renowned faculty in the field and performed Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s choreographed piece, Allegro. COCA students received accolades for their professionalism and representation of the organization.
Auditions for COCA’s 2024–2025 Pre-Professional Division Dance Program saw renewed energy and interest. 72 dancers auditioned for Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance, the largest auditions for the program since pre-pandemic.
JiaLi Deck, COCA Dance Program Senior, received recognition as an Outstanding Soloist and was selected to perform her classical variation, La Esmeralda, for peers, faculty, members, directors, donors, and recruiters from across the country. JiaLi was one of 20 dancers selected to perform a solo from the more than 1,500 dancers in attendance at the Festival.
In Fall 2023, Ava Guirl began dance classes at COCA for her senior year. She joined COCA’s Ballet Eclectica, intending to further her ballet technique and stage presence. She saw advancement in her art and attributes COCA for shaping her passion into a form. Ava’s work ethic and ability to quickly learn choreography helped her excel in all styles of dance. She participated in the RDA Festival and was chosen as one of five ladies to perform choreographer My’Kal Stromile’s work. Ava will continue her studies in the BFA program in dance at the University of Arizona.
“I have grown more at COCA in this past year than I could ever imagine. They have pushed me mentally and physically, making me grow into the person and dancer I used to wish I could be.”—Ava Guirl
Theatre Program Rolls Out New Curriculum
Shawna Flanigan, Artistic Director of Theatre, implemented a new curriculum for COCA’s Theatre Program in Fall 2023. The curriculum redefined production expectations with the creation of a set of production guidelines to align COCA’s production work with teaching work. It clarified that theatre is about more than just acting, emphasizing the importance of students taking classes in both production and acting. The program also rolled out a sequential acting curriculum focusing on skill development with entry points and progressions for students of a wide range of ages and providing supplemental classes and acting electives.
109
Students in COCA’s Pre-Professional Division
Dr. Woodmore Reshapes COCA Voice Program
Since his return to COCA as the new Artistic Director of Voice last summer, Dr. Philip A. Woodmore developed a new Voice Program curriculum to launch next year. The curriculum will provide vocal students with a strategic class structure and additional engaging course offerings. He’s also rebuilt Allegro Vocal Company, comprised of Senior and Junior Company vocal students.
On February 12 & 13, COCA vocal students and Phil Woodmore Singers performed “All My Life” with Lil Durk at the Drake and J. Cole concerts at Enterprise Center. They performed for an audience of thousands near the main stage for this incredible opportunity.
COCA Celebrates 20 Years of Summer
Musicals with The Color
Purple
This was hands down the best production of The Color Purple I’ve ever seen. NO ONE WAS LEFT AS A VILLAIN as in the movie and Broadway version. Love is redeeming and that shined through. Kudos to the director and the creative team for capturing the human aspect of this story.
– The Color Purple Audience Member
Over the past two decades, COCA Summer Musicals have been a source of inspiration, talent, and community. From the first read-through to the final bow, these productions have showcased the immense creativity and dedication of our students, staff, and alumni. To commemorate the milestone, COCA’s 2024 Summer Musical production of The Color Purple featured 14 professional and apprentice alumni and 21 current students performing on stage together.
10 COCApresents productions 4,076 COCApresents attendees
COCA Announces Alumni Association at 2024 Alumni Reunion
COCA launched the COCA Alumni Association, a brand-new program for alumni, at the Alumni Reunion on July 19. The program aims to connect alumni, build their networks, find new ways for alumni to engage with COCA and the community, and help COCA remain a lifelong home for artists of every age, ability, and background. COCA also announced the creation of the Lee Nolting Student Fund, in honor of beloved Lee Nolting, COCA Teaching Artist and founding Artistic Director of COCAdance. The scholarship in Lee’s name will make it possible for kids to come to COCA and provide support as they move to the next phase of their creative journey. More than 120 COCA alumni and guests attended the reunion and joined in celebration of COCA’s rich history and the contributions alumni have made to the organization’s growth.
One of the really special experiences about this production was the strong student voices. The play centers on the experience of children and having pre-teens and teens lend the production their vision and talent by serving as assistant directors, dramaturgs, costume assistants, assistant stage managers and sound engineers in addition to acting roles in the show, gave the professionals insight into their authentic experience.
– Shawna Flanigan, Artistic Director of Theatre
The
Muny’s T3
Program
Builds Set for The Kid at the Edge of Everything
COCA was thrilled to partner with The Muny’s Technical Theatre Training (T3) program for the set design for The Kid at the Edge of Everything, April 19–20. High school students in the T3 program worked under the guidance of The Muny’s production manager and technical director and in collaboration with COCA’s creative team to build and paint the set for the production. The T3 program provides mentorship and establishes relationships for students in technical theatre to help create a path for professional success after high school.
COCA Students Develop Skills Working Alongside Professionals for The Kid at the Edge of Everything
For the Spring production of The Kid at the Edge of Everything, COCA’s young artists worked alongside professionals in the field, demonstrating COCA’s commitment to offering well-rounded theatre education for its students. The talented Creative Team and two professional actors in the cast provided opportunities for students to further develop their skills as actors, directors, costume and set designers, and dramaturgs.
COCA debuts
MOTheR, a New Work by Kirven Douthit-Boyd
Performed by a cast of 18 students in COCAdance, COCA’s Pre-Professional Division modern and contemporary dance company, and one professional artist, MOTheR, Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s original new work, told the story of five mothers and their influence on their families and celebrated the power of motherhood. MOTheR was presented on stage December 8–10, 2023, and returned for a special Mother’s Day performance on May 12, 2024, providing another opportunity to share the piece with the community.
Emotion I felt after the performance was joyful. Such beautiful choreography... colors, sound and lighting... an overwhelmingly wonderful experience.
– MOTheR Audience Member
COCA
Dance Students Perform
Work of World-Renowned Guest Artists in Triumphant
Students in COCA’s Pre-Professional Division dance companies, Ballet Eclectica and COCAdance, performed their season-culminating repertoire at Triumphant, May 9–11. Triumphant showcased the talent, variety, and versatility of COCA’s dance students as they presented 12 choreographic works by world-renowned artists. Throughout the year, dance students participated in creative development residencies with distinguished guest artists who mounted new work to premiere at Triumphant. COCA recognized and highlighted the work of men in dance with its selection of guest artists which included Justin Conte, Freelance Educator, Director, and Choreographer working in commercial dance; Tom Gold, Former Soloist with New York City Ballet and Founder and Artistic Director of Tom Gold Dance; My’Kal Stromile, Member of Boston Ballet and Freelance Choreographer; and Omari Wiles, Founder and Artistic Director of Les Ballet Afrik.
Youth Musical Production of Disney’s Finding Nemo, JR. Brings Together Kids of All Abilities
COCA and Variety the Children’s Charity of St. Louis collaborated on the youth musical production of Disney’s Finding Nemo, JR., a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that captivated audiences with its unique cast. Featuring 57 talented kids and teens with and without disabilities, the threeweek musical theatre camp gave each camper the chance to shine. The program taught new skills, such as acting, singing, and dancing, but also fostered friendships and built confidence. COCA exceeded ticket sale goals with sold-out shows.
My favorite part about working in the arts at COCA is the vibrancy, imagination, and energy of the children. Watching students grow and develop into confident, happy, expressive adults through the arts is incredible. And I think that’s why it’s been great partnering with Variety because both our organizations have the same values. At the core, we both center and value children and fostering their development.
– Shawna Flanigan, Artistic Director of Theatre
Peek behind the scenes to see how this unique cast came together to create something truly magical on stage.
COCA’s Summer Arts Camps Expand to Second Campus at UHSP
COCA launched an 8-week satellite location for its popular Summer Arts Camps at University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy (UHSP), formerly known as St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Campers had the opportunity to learn and experience new things and build their skills in COCA’s creative Summer Arts Camps. Camps were offered in singing, dancing, acting, visual art, filmmaking, fashion, and more for ages 3–13.
424 classes offered 15,336 total class registrations
8,551 total summer camp registrations at U. City location
977 total summer camp registrations at UHSP location
COCA Expands Sliding Scale Tuition Program
To provide more opportunities for students to engage in COCA’s meaningful arts programs, COCA updated its Sliding Scale Tuition program to allow qualifying students to apply their tuition rate to up to three classes per semester. The prior policy only covered one class per semester. Qualifying students may also apply their tuition rate to one full week of COCA camps and Camp Before Care & After Care for one week. Sliding Scale Tuition is offered as a program for qualifying students based on need. COCA approved 433 Sliding Scale Tuition applications, representing 11% of enrolled students.
COCAedu Engaged with 27 Partners for Arts Learning & Arts Integration
COCAedu offered arts integration residency programs as well as after-school arts classes and school day residencies for 27 partners throughout the St. Louis region during the 2023–2024 school year. Partnerships included three early childhood centers, 17 elementary schools, three middle schools, and four high schools.
34 teaching artists engaged
SIUE Enrollment Management Teams Participate in Series of COCAbiz Workshops
This spring, COCAbiz teaching artists provided Creative Collaboration and Acting with Awareness workshops for 150 staff members from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Enrollment Management teams, which include Undergraduate Admissions, International Admissions, Graduate Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, ESRA, Military and Veterans Services, Online, Retention, and Advising. With the goal of improving communication, teamwork, and empathy across these teams, small groups tackled a creative challenge: build the most complicated, “Rube Goldberg”-inspired machine to perform a simple task with a set of ever-changing constraints. Through these workshops, participants experienced experimentation, creative problem solving, strategic thinking, embracing risk, and consensus building. It was impactful for an entire department to learn experientially and reflectively about the ways which they work best together.
3,760 students impacted
The students from Pride 13 at Julia Goldstein Early Childhood Education Center wrote The Ever-Changing Story with Teaching Artist Alicia Like and recorded the voice over for the final movie version of the piece.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our second school year with COCA added into our program. Our students are engaged and our teachers are able to take ideas shared by COCA instructors and bring them to their classroom.
– Meri Davis Interim Executive Director
Clayton Early Childhood Center
549 professional development participants
Reflections from COCA Alum Greg Cuellar
Greg Cuellar, one of COCA’s Distinguished Alumni, returned to St. Louis to star as Oliver in As You Like It at the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. While in town, Greg visited COCA where his passion for theatre ignited at the age of 14 as a member of the first COCA Theatre Company cohort. Greg reflected on his memorable roles in COCA Summer Musical productions, including Annie, Once on This Island, Seussical, and Ragtime, and the summer camp seasons he spent as a teaching artist. Greg describes COCA as a place of hyper-imagination and a safe space. COCA became a place where he felt celebrated and could meet friends who came from different backgrounds and experiences. Supported by COCA scholarships, Greg’s pre-professional education was cleared of financial obstacles. He is grateful to donors and volunteers who give their money and time freely so that other students like him have the same access to COCA’s quality arts education.
COCA Hosts Largest Regional Summer Intensive Auditions (RSIA)
COCA’s annual Regional Summer Intensive Auditions (RSIA) is a collaborative audition opportunity for dancers to audition for summer intensive programs from leading programs across the country. The 2024 auditions and sample classes were attended by 234 students, a 47% increase from 2023’s event, who represented 23 different states. RSIA had 26 programs in attendance.
Master Class Provides Unique Opportunity for COCA Students & Community
On June 20, COCA hosted a master class featuring professional dancers and choreographers Gil Duldulao, Denzel Chisolm, and Guero Charles, who were on tour with Janet Jackson. Dancers received a surprise when the iconic Janet Jackson visited COCA to watch the master class—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
COCA Celebrates RecordBreaking Fundraising Year
COCA hit new records with fundraising efforts during its 2023–2024 year. For the first time, COCA began receiving United Way funding. Our only annual fundraising event, COCAcabana, was a sold-out event with more than 600 guests who helped celebrate the arts and raise critical funds to support COCA’s mission. COCAcabana surpassed $1 million in revenue for the first time since it began in 1988. COCA also welcomed 16 new corporate sponsors, including Kwame Building Group as Presenting Sponsor of COCAcabana, and had 100% participation by the COCA Board for the SAY Yes Appeal.
First-Ever Juilliard Dance Experience—On Tour Comes to COCA
COCA partnered with Juilliard to bring their first-ever Juilliard Dance Experience—On Tour event to COCA on March 3. This partnership provided an opportunity for nearly 100 young dancers from the St. Louis region to participate in a celebratory day of dance with Juilliard Dance, and COCA was selected as the only location outside of New York City to host this transformative event. This one-day in-person workshop gave intermediate and advanced dancers ages 10–18 the chance to experience Juilliard’s dance program and take technique classes with Dance Division faculty, alumni, and students. Classes included ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, and improvisation.
