INTRODUCTION mission statement usEffect is a non-profit organization personal initiative and encourage healing. committed to fostering a Mconstructive dialogue on social To experience “the MusEffect” is to issues through performance art, while feel the synergy between art, intellect enriching and empowering audiences and intention. These three principles, of all socioeconomic backgrounds. woven together, cultivate positive and MusEffect explores topics relevant to permanent changes that elevate the today’s society with a purpose to ignite quality of life amongst our participants. origin he story of MusEffect’s formation as a artists motivated her to set the wheels in professional dance company is full of motion to create Muse Dance Company, the Tthe real-life events that inspire many most effective in-house dance convention Hollywood scripts. Most professional dance provider in the industry today. In 2006 Muse companies are formed from mass open Dance Company began traveling, bringing auditions: five hundred dancers in a room and unparalleled learning opportunities to the more leotards and buns than home studios and schools of anyone would like to see in one students around the world. space. MusEffect was created in one of the most organic While striving to educate and and natural ways possible. inspire dancers nationwide to It was a draw of common pursue their love of the arts, she energy and similar personal began to attract loyal students. missions. Creating a genuine Throughout her travels Jessica bond between dancers is not would occasionally cross paths something that can be directed with a dancer whose hunger or choreographed on a stage. for artistic purpose stood out among the rest. These dancers Director, Jessica Starr, saw took to her encouragement her window of opportunity whole-heartedly and craved after living in Hollywood for three years, the intense level of physical and emotional experiencing the disconnection between training Jessica became known for. aspiring artists and the commercial industry Bridging the gap between the competitive in Los Angeles. Recognizing the lack of one- and professional dancer proved to be on-one dance education available to young so electrifying for the staff and students INTRODUCTION origin (continued) of Muse Dance Company that in 2010 were those in which dance provided an Jessica Starr developed another branch avenue to raise social awareness. In the fall of the company: The Muse Experience. of 2011 MusEffect performed at Michelle Obama’s campaign celebration for “Let’s The Muse Experience was created not Move America” in Burbank, California. The only to better educate performers on their dancers also flew to New York City to perform options in the professional dance world, at “The National Day of the Girl,” promoting but to also give hands-on knowledge of leadership amongst young women. While the working industry. This there, MusEffect filmed a two-week intensive was “It’s more than a promotional piece for the created to emulate the life “Look at Me Campaign,” of a working dancer. The trend; it’s more than a raising awareness of eating program is designed to take fad. Muse is something disorders nationwide. young performers through that is consistent.” a full range of trials and -Azure Antoinette, It took only a challenges to allow them few empowering to better see if the direction Spoken Word Artist performances to confirm of the working artist is truly MusEffect’s passion for the right path for them. raising awareness through art. Once Jessica realized the impact of After several years, Jessica realized that performance art with social intention, a unique group of dancers had formed there was no turning back; MusEffect between these individuals. Each was vastly found their niche. Now as a non-profit different in their backgrounds, training, organization, MusEffect is dedicated to and style, but all of them embodied an empowering audiences and encouraging element of raw desire to sincerely move healing through their work. MusEffect people with their talents. Seeing this has now performed their premiere stage beautiful collection of artists in her reach, production, “The Divine Direction,” in many Jessica began utilizing them as a whole in venues in Southern California, garnering performances around the United States, many devoted supporters. MusEffect is giving life to the creative vision of MusEffect. quickly drawing attention as one of the most innovative and groundbreaking Although many performance opportunities companies the industry has seen in years. ensued, some of the most poignant moments JESSICA STARR creative director essica Starr, has been traveling the and has taken her high powered master globe over the past decade spreading classes across seas, working with dancers Jpassion for her art to all she encounters. in Tokyo, Ecuador, Canada and London. As a current resident of Los Within the past year Starr has Angeles, she has had her hands launched the new non-profit in the production of such shows company, MusEffect, into the as MTV’s “Super Sweet 16,” world. The mission of Muse is to “NEXT,” “Do You Want to Come spread an enriching message In?” and Jennifer Lopez’s tackling some of today’s most “DanceLife.” Jessica has also controversial issues through had the pleasure of working dance and various other art on Elton John’s Vegas show, forms. With a strong heart “The Red Piano,” commercials for social issues Jessica is for H&M and JC Penney’s passionate about involving commercials as well as the Lions MusEffect in projects that Gate documentary, “Rize.” “give back” to the community. Currently Jessica Starr finds It is their goal to move audiences herself steadily working with a long line of towards awareness nationwide through some the industry’s most cutting edge and this unique blend of multi-dimensional art. innovative corporations such as Reebok, Jessica strives to motivate young Adidas, and the NBA. It is Starr’s unique blend visionaries through her contagious of intellectual creativity and commercial spirit, positive energy and empowering appeal that has her being called a “hot perspectives. She thrives on being able commodity” in the corporate world. to share her working knowledge of the dance industry and personal experiences With over 18 years in the industry Jessica with budding artists around the world. uses Muse Dance Company, her innovative customized in-house workshop company as her vehicle to reach thousands of dancers annually. Within the past several years she has expanded the boundaries of Muse AZURE ANTOINETTE spoken word artist alled “the Maya Angelou of the Society’s benefit Art4Life and many more. Millennial generation,” Azure Azure recently partnered with ABC Family CAntoinette is a poet, spoken to launch “You Should Know This About word artist, freelance photographer, Me,” a campaign created to encourage and youth and arts advocate whose young adults to express their talents, performance poetry explores the ways passions, qualities, and character in a social media is reshaping humanity. society that often ignores their voices. In 2011 she founded an arts- Azure Antoinette is the in-education program that creator of STUDIO:alchemy, provides custom workshops an arts-in-education to excite and educate teen organization, operating girls on how spoken word, curriculum in New York, performance poetry, and Iowa, and Los Angeles. In social media can make 2011, Azure established an impact on the world. Aalchemik Press, an For this project and many independent publishing others, she was included in house for poetry and Forbes’s “100 Most Powerful narrative literary work. Women in the World” issue in 2012 and was featured Azure Antoinette is a in a special section titled published author of “Women Helping Women.” many titles including: BitterSweet, Commissioned, Azure Antoinette is in high demand as a Commissioned: the Back Story and poet, arts-in-education consultant, speaker the upcoming, For the Sake of Brevity. and workshop facilitator on youth poetic expression and creative writing as catharsis. Azure believes that we should all strive She has been commissioned to write for to do what we love for a living. She can Maria Shriver, Beats By Dr. Dre, Girl Scouts of be found living by a quote that she America, The Documentary Group, California penned in 2010: “Take it moment by Arts Council, the late Lt. Colonel Lee Archer moment, sometimes a day is too much.” (Tuskegee Airman), American Cancer THE MESSAGE freshman tudies show that 71% of students equally motivating to the young viewers report incidents of bullying at their to cultivate healthier social relationships Sschool. This growing epidemic is all that promote confidence and self worth. too often seen in today’s society and rarely resolved at the root of the problem, the “It wasn’t just a dance about bullying, teens themselves. Three of our youngest it was a statement.” company members were brave enough to take on the heavy topic of bullying as they bravely faced the very peers that have criticized and judged them for years. Rather than focusing on the problem, the piece was centered on the resolution of developing peer support and compassion. It was not -Ali Pfleger, only empowering for these young artists to MusEffect Dancer get on stage and make this statement, but look at me ook At Me” is one of MusEffect’s First performed live in 2010, MusEffect has most recognizable and noted travelled the globe appearing at National “Lpieces of work to date. This piece Day of the Girl in New York City as well as birthed the extraordinary working relationship creating a short film centered on the topic, between spoken word artist, Azure all to promote health and healing to all that Antoinette, and MusEffect Director, Jessica experience “Look At Me.” The shock of the Starr. It was their collective observations and dancers’ vocal and breath engagement personal relationships with onstage paired with Azure people who had eating Antoinette’s honest disorders that inspired and enthralling them to create speech moves this piece that audiences promoted into action self love and every time.