Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mēsha Kussman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Mēsha , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

It’s most important to me right now to focus on projects that are meaningful to me from a story point of view. Having experienced the passing of both my parents in the last few years, I am more acquainted with the reality of my mortality than ever before in my life and I want to devote my work, when possible, to speaking about what’s important to me. I believe that storytelling is a powerful platform for personal and communal healing.

Historically, in my work, I’ve cared most to make something that was simply beautiful, to transport people out of the mundane to an experience of beauty. Staging and designing water ballets through my aquatic entertainment company Aqualillies has satisfied this creative desire in me. Being poolside and watching people react to our water shows, as they are transported by the beauty of the art form and the awe of the sport… under the lights… this has been very fulfilling for me.

However, now it feels like just one piece of a larger tapestry. My work is focused on telling stories, sometimes using the art of water ballet, sometimes through dance, sometimes with narrative or documentary… to provide a platform for stories to be told that highlight beauty and also vulnerability, perseverance, and recovery.

Mēsha , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started out directing and choreographing performance art installations in New York City. When I arrived in L.A., I swiftly discovered that the events were largely centered around a pool, which was lit and looked like a stage just waiting for something to happen. I scouted synchronized swimmers and crafted a dance/swim hybrid show that landed me a 17-show residency at The Hollywood Roosevelt. This was in 2009. Since then I have been instrumental in building the market for artistic swimming as event entertainment. My company Aqualillies performed at Justin Timberlake’s 30th birthday party in 2011; we’ve been centerstage at parties for Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, on The Drew Barrymore show and The Late Late Show with James Corden. In 2013 The New York Times called us ‘poetry in motion’. We were featured in Vogue, Marie Claire, The Los Angeles Times, ABC, CBS, NBC and more. As the buzz grew, so did the market for water entertainment, so we set up teams to meet the demand in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, France, Australia and Canada. We’ve been growing internationally since 2016.

My partner Mary Ramsey and I have cast, choreographed and consulted for major productions including Hail, Caesar! starring Scarlett Johansson directed by The Coen Brothers, Beyonce’s Disney film Black Is King, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Glee, The Flight Attendant, Jane The Virgin, Claws and music videos for Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, Lizzo, Missy Elliot and Usher. We’ve also created aquatic activations for Hermès, Adidas, H&M, Sephora, American Express, Marc Jacobs and many more.

I’m grateful for how this business has taken off, and I’m proud of how I’ve adapted to allow it to grow, bringing on an incredible business partner who shares and elevates my vision and who handles with dexterity the operations of the business. I’m also grateful for the opportunities Aqualillies has given me to be on set and learn about what it takes to make a production successful. It’s a joy to apply these skills to my own directing projects.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

At the moment I’m focused on getting out of my own way and being of service. I’ve had a heck of a few years, raising two young children during a pandemic, navigating my mother’s Alzheimer’s illness and ultimately the death of both of my parents. So much personal growth and working with my partner to overcome so many challenges. I am humbled by how I’ve had to let go of being in control and trust that something more powerful is guiding my journey. The projects that I’m passionate about right now include a short experimental documentary ‘This One Is For You’ about a celebrated burlesque dancer Jillian Schmitz, and a scripted TV drama series I’m developing about women that lets me create big production numbers in the water!

I am grateful for what I’ve learned from the trials of these last few years and my hope is to express myself fully through my creative endeavors using dance and narrative storytelling to uplift women’s voices and bring people together.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is being in dialogue with my truth. When I am absorbed in a creative undertaking I lose my ‘self’ and moment-to-moment expression guides my choices. Building a business is creative because it requires listening, adapting, taking risks, seeing what’s not yet there and making a space for it. Writing is creative because it absorbs you completely in the realm of imagination. Dancing is the same way. Stories can be told through dance, stories can be told through words. For me now, the sweet spot is where narrative meets movement. I am certain that’s where you’ll find me – as a director and creator in the coming years.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meshakussman.com
• Instagram: @meshakussman
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@meshakussman
• This One is For You: Watch Mēsha’s short experimental documentary about a celebrated burlesque dancer’s journey of recovery here: www.meshakussman.com/thisoneisforyou.

Image Credits
Debra Isaac, Holly Jo, Mary Ramsey, Harper Willat, Zoe Quist