Léa Schneider is a choreographer and dancer based in Zurich. With a versatile artistic background, she began her practice with theater and hip-hop dance in the south of France, then pursued jazz training at the Conservatoire d’Annecy (74) alongside her high school studies. She then specialized in contemporary dance at the CFP Arts school in Geneva, before continuing her academic path within the Bachelor’s program at Tanzwerk101 in Zurich, focusing on contemporary and hip-hop dances, where she graduated in February 2024 with a degree awarded by the University of West London.

Since then, she has been working as a freelance dancer, actress, and choreographer on various projects in France and Switzerland, while developing her own creations. She also teaches contemporary and modern dance.

Her choreographic work explores societal issues as well as the quest for self. Her movement language is rooted in contemporary dance and floorwork, fueled by hip-hop and club style influences, notably waacking and house. Grounded in the floor, she develops a fluid and intense dance style, driven by a strong stage presence, precise accents, and articulated isolations.

Photo credits: Stefan Heesch, Coline Fragnol, Duy Tong, Birgit Mantek, Churrumburru, Caroline Minjolle

PORTFOLIO

Personal Projects

Kaos - Projet Vidéo (2025)

Restaging of the choreography Kaos, originally created for the 2024 Swiss Dance Championships, for the production of a video in collaboration with videographer Guillaume Lechner and the group One Soul.

“In a society that worships endless work, let’s step back, breathe, and observe the chaos. At the very least, let’s make it pleasant and organized, just as ants do.”

Artistic direction, choreography & concept: Léa Schneider
Videography & editing: Guillaume Lechner
Dancers: Giulia Antonaci, Kimberly Burkhard, Larissa von Ballmoos, Alexandra Heiz.
Music: Kaos – Detmolt
Location: Tanzhaus, Zürich

Vasanakshaya – Short dance piece (2023)

Created as part of the final choreographic graduation project at Tanzwerk101 (Zurich), Vasanakshaya draws on references from Indian spirituality, and more specifically from the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. The project is part of a reflection on the inner path, nourished by research and stays in South India.

“The piece evokes the path of liberation — liberation from our conditioning, our shadow parts, and everything that provokes reactions within us and encumbers us. A piece that invites us to reconnect with our true nature.”

Choreography & concept : Léa Schneider
Performers : Anya Niklaus, Clara Tullii, Luna Meylan.

Presented for the first time in March 2023 at the Kulturmarkt stage in Zurich for the final graduation showcase, the piece was later programmed in a professional setting at the Openair Cavaglia festival in Graubünden in August 2023.

Photo credits: Birgit Mantek

Surges – Choreographic duo (2023-2024)

Created with Raquel Arias for the Lamalaghala festival in Oberwil, Switzerland, this piece blends contemporary dance, influences from voguing and waacking, and techno music. It adapts to various stage contexts and unfolds progressively as the music builds in intensity and tempo.

« Drawing inspiration from the rave atmosphere, the piece embodies the raw and pulsating energy of bodies in motion, driven by repetitive rhythms. Gestures observed among rave dancers are transformed and integrated into the choreography, giving rise to an oscillation between individuality, trance, and collective vibration. »

Choreography, concept & performance: Raquel Arias and Léa Schneider

Presented at:
Lamalaghala Festival (2023 and revisited version in 2024)
Openair Cavaglia, Graubünden (2023)
Mettaway Collective events (2023-2024)
Tanzwerk101 Open Days (2023)
“Rave” Night in Bern (2024)

Photo credits: Simon Berger

Collaborations & Interprétation

Gigoter (Wriggling) – La Foule Company - Dance-theater piece (2025)

Performer in the piece Gigoter by the company La Foule. A dance-theater piece choreographed by Lili Chadenat.

« New York, a summer evening in 1978. A dense crowd waits outside the doors of Studio 54. They are stomping to the muffled sound of a disco bass. In this legendary venue, the crowd is in vogue. Free, unconventional, and extravagant, they dance shoulder to shoulder, swaying and spinning. Every night, the crowd comes alive and transforms, reinventing the codes of this iconic party scene through jazz, colors, and glitter. The performance highlights the freedom of the body in the face of social and choreographic norms: do you need to know how to wriggle well to groove? »

The piece was created in Paris and presented at the La 203 festival in Saint-Lamain, in the French Jura, in August 2025.

Frei Freier vorm Verlust – Ramé Company – Theater and dance piece (2024)

A dance and theater piece resulting from research linked to somatic approaches: a 5-month weekly dance-lab envisioned by Lovina Koenig with the Ramé Company. The piece combines dance, theater, and live music (cello). Léa is a performer and co-choreographer alongside Manel Salas and Lovina.

The theme explores the forms we adopt and what happens when they dissolve – the dancers embody the shadows of the two actresses, reflecting their inner world.

The piece was created in Zurich and presented at Zentralwäscherei in September 2024.

Photo credits: Churrumburru, Carlo Hafen

Ex Machina – Theater piece (2024)

Dancer, actress, and choreographer for Ex-machina, a stage adaptation of Alex Garland’s film by Ayhan Eranil.

Presented at Gessnerallee as part of the Tiar festival in Zurich, in June 2024.

The Heel – Short dance piece (2023)

Dancer in The Heel, a piece choreographed by Sofie Heller and presented in 2023 at the Am Gleis theater as part of the Tanzfest in Winterthur, Switzerland.

This piece is a reflection on the beauty standards imposed by society and how they can affect everyone, particularly women. It questions the impact of these norms on bodies and identities, as well as the ways to break free from them. Through a choreographic language tinged with humor, the piece highlights a societal dysfunction linked to beauty ideals and the pressure to conform.

La Criée – Dance and music piece (2022)

Dancer in the performance choreographed by Maroussia Ehrnrooth, presented at Bains-des-Pâquis as part of the Les Aubes Musicales festival in Geneva in August 2022.

This piece blends live sound poetry and movement within a morning, lakeside setting.

Les Baroqueries Festival – Dance pieces (2019 & 2021)

Dancer in Apothéosis and Caprice: two new creations by Brazilian choreographer Antonio Gomes, a renowned figure on the international choreographic scene.

Apothéosis (2019), set to the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau, performed live by the Consonances ensemble and soloists.
Caprice (2021), set to Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices, performed live by violinist Raya Raytcheva.

Pieces presented as part of the Les Baroqueries baroque music festival in Geneva.

Transmission & pédagogie

Teaching and Workshops

Teaching

Li-Danceunit School – Solothurn (Current, since 2022)

Weekly classes

– Tuesday evening: Modern Dance (two classes: intermediate & advanced level)

– Thursday evening: Contemporary Dance (advanced level).

Klubschule Migros – Winterthur (2021–2022)

Contemporary dance for adult beginners.

Substitutions

Substitute teaching on request in various dance schools across Switzerland and France.

Workshops

Improvisation Workshops

Design and facilitation of festival workshops, promoting experimentation and self-connection through improvisation and specific physical exercises.

Corporate Workshops & Events

Event facilitation, short performances, and dance workshops (e.g., teaching flash mobs).

School Workshops

Dance workshops in primary and secondary schools.

Coaching and Choreography

Naceo Company

Movement coach for the Naceo theater company
– Coaching work on the play Les Feluettes.
– Choreographic work on the play Orphelin.

Pieces presented at the Festival Off d’Avignon in July 2025.

One Soul Group

Choreographer and coach for the 2024 Swiss Championships in contemporary and jazz dance, providing technical and artistic guidance for the One Soul group from the Li-danceunit school through to the national competition.

Two pieces presented:
– Kaos (adult contemporary category)
– All That (adult Broadway jazz category)

Result: 3rd place in the Swiss national rankings.

Li-Danceunit School

Choreographer for the 2023 and 2025 year-end performances.

Ressources

Bachelor's Thesis

« Making Space for a Better Use of Yourself »

Bachelor’s thesis focused on somatic approaches, specifically the Alexander Technique, exploring its impact on body alignment and the prevention of pain related to post-injury compensations.

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