martha graham

Written by Kelsey Jorssen of Jorssen Marketing.

Martha Graham. Perhaps you may have heard that name echoed through artistic circles or possibly whispered in Hollywood movies. Born in 1894, Martha lived a fruitful life, inspiring artistic communities at a global scale until her death at age 96. She was a dancer and choreographer and, was known for her ability to explore social, political, psychological and sexual complexities through movement. Because her creativity crossed boundaries, she was known for both ruffling feathers and positively influencing her audiences. There were countless instances when Martha was known as a troublemaker, but she outright refused to conform, because of her beliefs and devotion.

Her direction broadened famous artists’ repertoire like, Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, Bette Davis, Liza Minelli and Madonna, just to name a few. Her innovative choreography and use of imagery stirred the souls of her admirers. People wanted to know and work with her. They wanted to be influenced by her deep insights and power.

Martha developed her own technique called the Graham Technique, which is still being practiced in her world-famous company, the Martha Graham Dance Company. Its focus is to continue the legacy Martha set forth in exploration of contemporary dance’s vocabulary of movement to obtain a deep impact on societal issues.

Now, this was a powerful woman. An intellectual person who followed her innate aspiration and expressed life through dance. She pushed boundaries, but at the same time, others were attracted by her energy and commitment to her dance.

Have you ever considered why you have been drawn to certain mavens?

If you look closely, you will see a common thread: they are all in touch with their authentic desires. Sounds so simple, yes. But like with Graham, it takes practice and conviction to remain with your dreams and passions. Like attending a dance technique class every day, you need to work on your dream-scaping every day: to step into connecting with elements of your ideal life. It may sound a bit odd to ‘practice your dreams’, but there’s a momentum and inspiration one must tap into every day. This will allow you to cultivate the little things that are being realised and to attract other mindful, business-savvy humans, like yourself.

“I have spent all my life with dance and being a dancer. It’s permitting life to use you in a very intense way. Sometimes it is not pleasant. Sometimes it is fearful. But nevertheless it is inevitable.”

–          Martha Graham

About Kelsey Jorssen

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Kelsey studied classical ballet and furthered her studies as a Dance Major with the University of Calgary. There, she studied with both Alberta Ballet and the Contemporary Dance Programs. Dance is still part of her repertoire, but now at a marketing level. After school, she discovered marketing and how creating stories for companies are like creating choreography: brainstorming, outlining, researching, cultivating and developing a finished product. Kelsey is now running her own marketing company, Jorssen Marketing and thrives on working with other like-minded individuals: people who are ambitious and setting forth authentic goals.