Name: Jessica Starr
Age: 34
Title: Creative Director and Founder of all things Muse: MusEffect, Muse Dance Company, Muse Media, Muse Wear and the list goes on. They are all different names for the same concept of creating art with the intention of social change.
Married/Single: Taken- by my partner in crime and love of my life, Nik Gravelle.
Kids: 0 …unless my 15 dance company members count?
City you live in: I now live in the City of Angels- but my creativity and ambitious nature came to be in Phoenix, AZ.
A typical day in my life includes…
there is no such thing as a typical day in my life, every day is different. The constants amongst the chaos however are coffee, getting down to some good jams, answering emails and spending quality time with the important people in my life.
I was born…
into a world that taught me “NO” only means “try again, I dare you!”
My favorite thing about Arizona is…
all of the incredible Mini Musers and Muse Moms that live there. I have so much support for the Muse Vision in my hometown, it’s beyond inspiring.
I’m listening to…
Byegone by Volcano Choir, Babbit by Painting Greys and False Alarm by The Weeknd. ALL tracks that make up the soundtrack to MusEffect’s up and coming show The Divine Direction.
My family…
is MusEffect. No one holds my heart the way they do! #MuseFam
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
English Director and Producer, Nigel Lythgoe because I am confident after discussing the mission of my nonprofit MusEffect with him, he would be passionate about vehicle for social change.
One thing I cannot live without…
is music. There is a song to amplify every moment in life. Music allows you to inhale its beauty and exhale the pain. There’s nothing like it.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a cowgirl one day and a vet the next. My mom told me not to worry about what others said, I could DO and BE anything I wanted. That was the best advice of my life. I mean look at me…I create socially charged art for a living.
I’m inspired by…
people who embrace their unique qualities. In a world where we are all trying to fit a cookie cutter mold, people who are unapologetic for their quirks and flaws move me.
The one person who motivates me is…
my partner in crime and the brilliant MusEffect Technical Director, Nik Gravelle. He is truly one of the most authentically passionate people I know. Don’t let his laid back nature fool you, he has the eye of a genius and a heart full of fire that keeps me pushing to be better every single day.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
our level of compassion for each other. I believe if we all took the time to celebrate our world’s diversity, rather than shame it, we would experience a lot less violence and a lot more collective progress.
The perfect day…
would start at Starbucks in the morning, and then I’d head to Six Flags to get my heart rate up a bit. I would then come back to LA to get fancied up for a nice dinner with my partner in crime Nik Gravelle, and then off to a club show to watch my MusEffect family tear it up on the stage in front of a live audience. After we would celebrate their victorious performance at a nearby club, dancing and laughing till the sun comes up.
My first (non dance) job was…
at Moto Photo , where I got to scan every single photo turned into for flaws in development. Boy did I learn a lot about my community that summer?!
My favorite escape is….
anytime I get to leave my phone and computer at home. I love being able to unplug and focus on the moment and the people in front of me.
My life…
is more beautiful then I could have ever dreamed of. I get to dance everyday, create magic with my favorite people on this planet and empower audiences around the globe, all simultaneously. My only complaint is that I need about 5 more hours in the day.
I’m currently working on…
balance. As much as I love my work, I have learned that I can’t let it be what defines me. It is often times the life experiences that I have away from my profession that inspires me to greater heights.
Always…
show appreciation. We can not do this life alone. It is so important to show and tell those around you how much you value them on a daily basis.
Never…
compare yourself to others. We are all on our path, with our own destination. I have to remind myself daily to keep my head down and stay focused on what I believe to be my own personal adventure. It’s so easy with social media constantly being in our faces, to compare our progress and personal value with other people, but I am confident that will only stifle your journey. Keep your reason WHY in the forefront of your mind and just keep doing you.
Favorite Quote…
“Faith is the bird who feels the light, when the dawn is still dark.“
Biggest Dream…
well since Prince left us this past year (tears) I’m going to have to say I’m living it! Cheesy, I know, but creating art that encourages social awareness and promotes healing across the world is pretty epic to me. Nothing beats receiving emails from perfect strangers saying how MusEffect’s PSAs saved their life by giving them courage to speak up.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
laziness. We get one life to live. Don’t take any moment for granted, get out there and make your mark.
