Author Spotlight
Larkin Brundige
Jock girl!”
Art teacher Jodie Schnakenberg heard as she jogged past her college dorms. She was used to the mocking — students at the art institute didn’t see a lot of their classmates running in their free time.
“I would always go for runs and people always kind of made fun of me because I was basically the only one that really worked out,” Schnakenberg said.
25 years later, Schnakenberg holds onto her love for exercise — only now she’s at the front of the room instructing fitness classes at Woodside Country Club.
The main similarity between art and fitness for Schnakenberg is her love for music, whether it’s 7 a.m. or 6 p.m. in her studio — music is constantly playing. She looks for new music where she can but sticks to her roots of alternative and rock music.
On Friday’s, Schnakenberg starts her night with a 4:45 p.m. cycle class. She sets down her blue Halloween bucket she designates for new song suggestions on “new music Fridays.”
She begins to skip and twirl around the room in her bright yellow leggings and neon pink top with a yellow headband to complete the outfit — opposing the pair of jeans and colorful sweater she wears to her art classes.
“I wish I could show each class to each other because I talk a lot about my art life while I’m teaching fitness.” Schnakenberg said.
For Schnakenberg, art and fitness tie together — both being creative outlets for her — with art being a priority during the day and fitness at night.
However, this wasn’t always the case. Schnakenberg used to teach a fitness class to teachers and aerobics to students at East. The thought of teaching a fitness class at school wasn’t something she opposed, but balancing art and fitness at school would be a challenge
Her love for art and fitness came from her childhood — specifically high school — when she was able to discover what she loved and where it would lie in her future.
“High School is a great place to figure out where you are and who you are or the beginnings of who you are,” Schnakenberg said. “Because childhood is still really fresh to you and your memory.”
During her cycling class she smiles out at everyone and continues to cheer them on throughout the entire class with words of encouragement like “keep it up” and “let’s go.” Her goal is to keep the class engaged and keep the energy levels high — she makes sure her class is laughing and enjoying their time there.
“There’s no point in doing group fitness if you don’t enjoy being in the group and everybody has the same experience, so I think it’s just trying to make it entertaining and motivating and inspirational,” Schnakenberg said.
To Schnakenberg fitness takes being fearless — whether it’s trying something new or creating something of your own, rejection is inevitable.
Schnakenberg wants to avoid anyone feeling nervous or judged in her class. She hopes others will feel welcomed and brought together by their class.
“I think a lot of people can start off intimidated or they feel like there’s some sort of competition happening when there really isn’t,” Schnakenberg said. But really it’s about the community and coming together and helping each other get through it. And I think that’s what makes it special.”
Wherever you find Schnakenberg — maybe at Woodside setting up her Halloween candles for her next class or queueing her newly found rock n’ roll song for her 1st hour art class, she uses her love for her two creative outlets to make sure whoever is there with her finds their passion too.
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