Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanna Peddicord.
Hi Hanna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up outside of Baltimore, a small, blue collar town where Maryland crab was the currency. My mom saw an ad in the newspaper for a dance studio called Dancemoves Studio of Dance (now Centre Pointe Performing Arts) and decided to enroll me at the age of three. Little did she know, she’d just forged the path for my future. I trained rigorously in ballet, jazz, contemporary, improvisation, modern, theatre jazz and tap. Upon graduating high school, I remember thinking how scary it would be to commit to dance as a career and if it was even possible. The encouragement of some loved ones and an unrecognized deep belief in myself lead me to Florida State University, where I received my BFA in Dance in 2021. Throughout my time there, I not only grew as a dancer but began to blossom as an artist and a person. I credit a lot of the growth to my inspiring friends, inside and outside of the dance community. I’ve always been pretty introspective and crave connection, which can be overwhelming, but in the past few years I’ve been on this personal journey where wellness, not just fitness, along with breath work, meditation, and journaling has brought me closer to myself and continues to teach me how to show up for other people. Movement and performance play such a big part in that, and I’ve been able to find freedom and play through authentic expression. Now in Los Angeles, I work as a performer in all different pockets of the industry – music videos, film sets, live performance, fitness studios, modeling, and little passion projects for friends – which can feel random and exhilarating and all very unexpected to that three-year-old that was just starting out.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think you’d be hard-pressed to find an artist in LA (or any town, really) that would describe their journey as smooth-sailing! It’s an industry that stakes a lot on personal image, comparison, and competition, outside of being a super scary financial path to commit to- which never really concerned me until I was experiencing it real time. It’s difficult to explore yourself and your goals when you have the stress of making that measly $20 in your account last for the next 5 days. You’re working that restaurant job you don’t want to do, picking up every gig you can, but miraculously, sometimes in those 5 days, you get booked for a job. Things change at the drop of a dime here, which again, is terrifying and exhilarating. Honestly, it’s probably part of the reason a lot of us choose to do this because there’s nothing that makes me feel more infinite than doing what I’m made to do. I think it all comes back to learning to find the joy in all the things you do, confidence and trusting that you will make it to where you want to be, even when it feels like that’s a million miles away. Keep dreaming and give yourself grace because you ARE doing enough.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a dancer, actor, and fitness guide. As a professional, I’ve been a company member with the Little Women Ballet and Royal Flux, have performed at several dance festivals and live events, ranging from art shows, to private parties, to whistling competitions (yes, really). Beyond live performance, I have been in many music videos as an actor, dancer, and choreographer for artists like Bon Iver, ARTBAT, and Peyton Shay, to name a few. In recent years, I’ve been drawn to acting and have had the opportunity to act in short films, television, and commercial projects (Google Pixel and ESPN, among others). I am also a certified KINRGY guide, a fitness studio created by Julianne Hough, which has impacted my life so deeply. Teaching there has taught me how to foster more meaningful connections, embrace individuality, and cultivate authenticity. I was recently asked this question, and came to the realization that I’m most proud of the first real commercial project I ever did– a music video for Morten ft. ARTBAT. The production team, 23Productions, was small and so mighty. I thought I was booked just to dance, but when we had our first meeting they showed me the whole concept and said it would largely be acting and a small dance sequence the other artist, Davon Rashawn, and I would choreograph. I was scared, but ready to take it on. That experience changed something in me; they trusted me in a way that allowed me to believe in myself, fully, as a dancer and an actor. I am so thankful and so proud of that experience.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My family has always been quite the boating bunch, and growing up on the Chesapeake Bay, every summer we’d be out on the water as much as possible. Around 2006, my dad took me with him to get our boat, Diane (we don’t know a Diane, that was its given name and we just never changed it.) I remember walking through, smelling that old 90’s must, and being so excited there was a cabin for us to sleep in. Some of my favorite childhood memories were spent having sleepovers on it, being my dad’s first mate, and just spending time together as a family. Diane breaks down every single year without fail, but we hold on to her just like we do the memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hannapeddicord.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanzpeddi/
Image Credits
Erin DeLaney
Tess Graham
Edie Tyebkhan
Joshua Belida
