We were lucky to catch up with Jen Martin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Private lessons.  Informational Interviews.  Be Bold and courageous.

In high school, I knew I wanted to dance.  And then I went to college and thought I might be a doctor, or nutritionist, or marketing professional.  But dance won.  I graduated and moved to NYC the next week.  And like every auditioning performer, I had jobs and gigs and conflicting feelings galore.  I learned early that I really enjoyed working special events.  And I also learned that I wasn’t great at auditioning.  When I was introduced to aerial arts after a few years living in New York, I realized the combination of dance and aerial made me feel passionate!  Career found! 

But aerial is hard.  Classes were cost-prohibitive and locations to learn were scarce and distant.   Dance was a great starting point and has defined my style from the beginning, but I wish I had taken more private classes with a variety of instructors along the way.  And to think, that advice was given to me from the beginning…I just didn’t take it.  It was a learning experience for sure! 

Skills that are most essential: – willingness to work hard and continue learning – recognizing that over training can be harmful – feed your body and mind with things that make it feel good – pull-ups and planks are lovely and helpful – learn about safety and rigging – warm-up that body – ask questions

Obstacles for me were often mental.  I didn’t feel strong enough.  I was nervous to take the challenge.  I wanted to be more flexible before doing xyz.  I wanted to have better (photo/video/resume) before submitting.  But now…I will just do it. To be older and wiser is so helpful :) My lesson to share is Be Bold, Be Proud of who you are at any moment and let people know about you.

Jen, 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?

Suspended Fluidity services cover entertainment, aerial and dance education, choreography, direction and production.

The multitude of entertainment services include aerial cirque and movement based performances (dance, flow arts, contortion, etc) as well as models, greeters, characters, and musicians. Unique wearable service offerings include human tables and a champagne dress. These elements can be used in a variety of capacities – corporate and private events, tradeshows, and beyond.

Suspended Fluidity provides aerial classes, workshops and retreats for students of all ages and abilities. Weekly in-person classes take place in Prescott, AZ.

I like to believe that I offer a unique experience for everyone. No matter if it’s a class or a massive corporate event, the goal is to be positive, encourage others into success and to make the most out of each situation.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been a couple of major pivot points in my creative business life. Since my businesses have been solo or partnerships, the pivot opportunities happened fairly quickly but it has always turned into a lesson in balancing what the clients want plus personal motivation and career trajectory.

When I was a young dancer/choreographer in New York, I started a business with another female entrepreneur. She was in the music industry and we aimed to pitch full crews of talent (dancers/choreographer) to the artists and their managers. Our groups were intentionally diversified in both physical characteristics and movement styles, but over time, it became clear that our offering didn’t truly work for most agents and directors (and I totally understand that reasoning). Our company pivoted to focused on event entertainment specializing in providing dancers, choreography and eventually aerial and cirque entertainers, which I found I liked much more!

Another major pivot point happened when my husband and I started our family. As I had been focused on teaching and performing, the reality of maintaining those jobs in a pregnant body was a little unclear. I amped up the management roles during this time but was also able to learn a lot from my body so that my teaching techniques became more body inclusive. Returning to fit form after each baby was the most challenging though!

Lastly, the move from NYC to Arizona provided a pretty big hurdle. I originally maintained the NY based entertainment business. But since then I started Suspended Fluidity which combines all of my passions – creating, performing, education and special events. I’m lucky enough to be able to pursue this life and look forward to all the joy it brings!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Short answer: The general community needs to value artists and creatives (and artists and creatives need to understand how to value themselves too). Be willing to pay for the artist and the art they create.

I’ve been surrounded by performers for most of my career. Each and every person puts so much time and energy into their physical form and art. It is so much more than the time spent on the gigs- it’s the rehearsals, the maintenance classes, the costumes, the food, the assistants, the marketing, and the list continues. So many friends struggle to live because they love what they do but don’t want or know how to ask for more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.suspendedfluidity.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suspendedfluidity/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuspendedFluidity/

Image Credits

Max Damian Photography
Michel Leroy Photography
Cristian Buitron Photography
Michelle Burke Photography
Desousa Creative
Blushing Cactus Photography