Eileen Kramer: 100 Years Of Creative Energy

Eileen Kramer in 'Indian Love Song', 1952.

I have recently become familiar with the name Eileen Kramer. She is a 100 year old dancer and creative artist who refuses let age or vision/health limitations stop her creative process or cease her creative energy. She is trying to get her newest show ("The Early Ones") to the stage and has started a crowd funding page to do so. With 6 days left and $14,072 dollars to raise to reach her goal of $26,000 she has totally inspired me to share her story and make a donation toward her dream.

I see so many women, myself included making excuses for things we did not do or won't do. Eileen is a shining example of someone who has let their passion fuel their life and not not let excuses, like age for example stand in the way of her creative process or her dreams. She is also a beautiful link to the history of dance, choreography and costuming in this genre.

Watch Eileen and learn about her project here:

At 100 years young she maintains creative control of her vision from the choreography to the costumes. The funds raised will go to pay the fee of the 9 dancers in her show, provide costumes, pay musicians and composer in charge of the music.

As an original member of the Australian Bodenwieser Dance Company, a pioneer in contemporary dance she has been performing for the past 75 years. She shows no sign or intention of stopping or even slowing down and and from her creative soul to mine I am left in awe in completely inspired. 

She has even written an autobiography about her journey of self realization as a creative artist.

Buy it

Back ground image: Photo of Eileen Kramer and Jean Raymond in Bodenwieser's „Waterlilies“, around 1940.


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Quote Me: Celebrating Women

International Women's Day is here again and it always makes me take pause and reflect on the amazing women who I admire, who came before me, who walk beside me and those who are raising the next generation of women. I wanted to share a few quotes (because I'm obsessed with quotations) about women that I was drawn too. We can be many things; bold, strong, fragile, emotional, glamorous, solid, vulnerable, intelligent, helpful, beautiful, scary, capable and MUCH MORE. We are the keeper of the keys, the givers of life and the most inspirational people I know.

The Sisters - Claudia Tremblay

What I also know is that women are WAY TOO HARD ON THEMSELVES. Give yourself a break and take some time today to reflect on where we have been as women, where we are and where we are going! 

“With the spread of conformity and image-driven superficiality, the allure of an individuated woman in full possession of herself and her powers will prove irresistible. We were born for plenitude and inner fulfillment.” ― Elizabeth Prioleau, Seductress - Women Who Ravished the World and Their Lost Art of Love

“I believe in strong women. I believe in the woman who is able to stand up for herself. I believe in the woman who doesn't need to hide behind her husband's back. I believe that if you have problems, as a woman you deal with them, you don't play victim, you don't make yourself look pitiful, you don't point fingers. You stand and you deal. You face the world with a head held high and you carry the universe in your heart.” ― C. JoyBell C.

"Everyone has inside of her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!" – Anne Frank.

"There are two ways of spreading light. To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it." – EdithWharton

"Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror." – Byron Katie.

                                                                      "The Ages Of Women" Gustav Klimt, 1905

"I am willing to put myself through anything, temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level. I am interested in the unknown, and the only path to the unknown is through breaking barriers, an often painful process." - Diana Nyad

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses." – Madame Marie du Deffand.

"The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off." – Gloria Steinem.

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."— Marie Curie, chemist and physicist

"If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." — Gail Sheehy, American journalist

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."— Oprah Winfrey

What are your FAV quotes? 

Celebrate yourself and all the fabulous women who surround you today and Always!

Further Reading:

International Women's Day Blog 2012

International Women's Day 2011

Gulabi Gang: Fierce Females in Fuschia

Women's rights and equality sadly continue to be an issue around the globe and astonishingly even in my own back yard (America) as women take to the polls in November hopefully to maintain our right to choose. Female reproduction and the GOP's effort to control it seem to always be at the forefront of the elections. A Republican group of white, "Christian", rich males attempting to use the bible to continue to suppress women and push their patriarchal agendas. OBAMA 2012! (I am LisaG and I approve this message)

But there is global hope that women can stand together to make real change and protect one another.

There is a group in India called GULABI GANG  (Gulabi = Hindi for PINK) who are committed to protecting and educating women. India historically has been a rigid and oppressive patriarchal society who's women have been abused and treated as second class citizens.  In their Fuschia Sari's the Gulabi Gang are right fighters in Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. They are a rural "Justice League" wielding a bamboo stick and loads of passion for protesting child marriages, protecting the victims of abuse, teaching women to read and MORE.

Their Website Explains: "The Gulabi Gang is an extraordinary women’s movement formed in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi in the Banda District of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. This region is one of the poorest districts in the country and is marked by a deeply patriarchal culture, rigid caste divisions, female illiteracy, domestic violence, child labour, child marraiges and dowry demands. The women’s group is popularly known as Gulabi or ‘Pink’ Gang because the members wear bright pink saris and wield bamboo sticks. Sampat says, “We are not a gang in the usual sense of the term, we are a gang for justice.”

The Gulabi Gang was initially intended to punish oppressive husbands, fathers and brothers, and combat domestic violence and desertion. The members of the gang would accost male offenders and prevail upon them to see reason. The more serious offenders were publicly shamed when they refused to listen or relent. Sometimes the women resorted to their lathis, if the men resorted to use of force.

Today, the Gulabi Gang has tens of thousands of women members, several male supporters and many successful interventions to their credit. Whether it is ensuring proper public distribution of food-grains to people below the poverty line, or disbursement of pension to elderly widows who have no birth certificate to prove their age, or preventing abuse of women and children, the Pink sisterhood is in the forefront, bringing about system changes by adopting the simplest of methods - direct action and confrontation.

Although the group’s interventions are mostly on behalf of women, they are increasingly called upon by men to challenge not only male authority over women, but all human rights abuses inflicted on the weak."

Their story is BEYOND inspirational! What have you done to create/enforce change or help women?  It may just start with providing an ear or shoulder to women around you. We have a unique set of challenges and circumstances as we navigate this life. Strength in numbers indeed. The Fierce Females in Fuschia let nothing stop them and neither should you!

WOMEN: Let's Stand Together

In celebration of International Women's Day I wanted to discuss how more WOMEN should celebrate WOMEN. Although our patriarchal society is largely responsible for our repression over the course of history, women also should be held accountable for their roles. We have made AMAZING progress over the years with with respect to Equality, Reproductive Rights, in the work place, and on a global scale. I feel, we as women should be allies and not competitors and could do better for each other. The mysogynistc undertones still exist across the globe when women deal with various forms of discrimination, degeneration, violence and abuse (largely from men) but women are also culpable to some degree.

The time is NOW to truly stand together in the sisterhood we all share. We have unique challenges and responsibilities as women and should be there as a supportive force to one another, not just today but every day.

In a world of uncertainty, here is what I can CONFIRM:

ALL WOMEN ARE

* Capable

* Worthy

* Unique

* Beautiful

When is the last time you helped out a female friend for no reason? or told another women that they have been an inspiration for you? do you support female owned businesses? or told someone you know they are beautiful? or a good mother? or applauded a female counterpart for what she has accomplished?

Lets celebrate WOMEN today and all that we have done and continue to do to better ourselves and our world. As a giant global team we can make the changes needed to liberate women all over the world to feel truly empowered and inspired and help each other to live up to our full potentials. The change in attitude and action starts with each one of US.

My top 2 Inspirational Women of the year:

Christy Turlington - Model, Mother, Film Maker and Women's Right Activist: Maternal Health -via Every Mother Counts. Her documentary and work abroad has and is continuing to make a difference in the lives of women and mothers everywhere.

Loren Ridinger: Business Woman, Mother, Jewelry Designer, who is on a relentless digital-quest to inspire women and empower them to be the best they can be, in business and otherwise.

‎"Inside of you is a smart, powerful, dynamic, capable, self-confident, alive, alert, fabulous woman! Let her come out and play. The world is waiting for you." - Louise L. Hay

The Legend of Zelda

June 20, 1916 ~ Feb 15, 2012

"New York’s oldest and most beloved night owl "

The venue where Zelda Kaplan took her last breath was a total shock to the Fashion community when she passed away in the front row of her friend Joanna Mastroianni's Fashion show during New York Fashion week.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Joanna Mastroianni
Zelda Kaplan at a Fashion Week show on Wednesday, shortly before she collapsed and died.

She died the way she lived, as a permanent fixture in the NY fashion scene, full of drama and completely in a unique way.

Evolution Revolution is a place where I like to share stories of inspirational people and Zelda was just that. She put her younger counterparts to shame as she danced till dawn in chic NYC clubs, sipped champagne, frequented fashion shows, travelled around the world for women's rights as she hunted for amazing fabrics for her one-of-a-kind looks.

I have been doing a lot of reading about her over the last few days and I am astonished at how multi-faceted and multi-phased her life was. She went from being a suburban housewife in her 30's (she married 3 times) to a New York Socialite, Party Girl and Fashion LOVER! She was also a world traveller and a crusader for women's rights abroad. She slept all day, danced all night, created her own signature looks complete with hand woven African/Tribal fabrics, Statement jewels and signature sunglasses. Age was just a state of mind to her and she did not let the number's define her or her life.

The Legend of Zelda in her own words (Quotes courtesy of the New York Times & New York Magazine)

ON AGING: "'I want to be an example for young people so they aren't afraid of growing old and a lesson to old people that you can be productive. You don't have to sit around and wait for death."

ON BEDTIME: "Anytime between midnight and 7 a.m."

ON HER LIFE: "I spent half my life relaxing and the other half crusading — I was a successful ballroom dancer and women's golf pro in Miami Beach in my 20s, a doctor's wife in New York in my 30s — and in my 60s and 70s I spent my time largely in Africa and Southeast Asia campaigning directly with local tribal government leaders for women's and children's rights."

ON DRINKING: "Shiraz"

ON DANCING: "I just love a slow fox trot ... To me, the dancing the young people do in the clubs is exercise. There's no skill involved."

ON FASHION: “I wish more people would have [clothes] made for them. But so many Americans want to look like everybody else [...] I hate to wear what everybody else is wearing [...] I don’t think people should be happy to be a clone.”

ON DATING: "Two young men did recently ask if they could make love to me ... But what do I want with a 36-year old?"

ON LEARNING: “Many people turn a certain age and “check out,” but that is not me. In my 90s, I am not able to travel as much, so I must read everything I can at home to remain aware of global change, which provides me great knowledge to empower people through daily conversations, and through my charitable efforts.”

ON BEING REMEMBERED: "I hope people remember me as an intelligent and respectful person who was interested in the world, and especially women’s human rights."


Let's all take a page from Zelda's book; life is meant for LIVING in a CUSTOM way that suits all your aspirations, dreams and desires. Why sit on the couch when you can dance all night and be FABULOUS? Zelda can rest now, knowing she did what she loved right up until the last moment of her earthly life.

Thoughtful Thursday: The Motherload

Painting BRUNI Gallery

I am obsessed with inspirational quotations. I love how just in a few lines my spirit can be lifted and how I find instant motivation in someone else's words. I read this quote and wanted to share it.

The motherload of positivity, altruism, caring and giving .. Mother Teresa

“May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us."
― Mother Teresa

Female Evolution: Holiday Edition

We've come a long way baby... I was looking through some Vintage advertisements and it made me think about how much women's roles have changed over the years. Our hopes and dreams are bigger too, but not big enough in my opinion. I still see women who are beautiful, capable, and fabulous still falling into the roles that other people in their lives have for them (namely men but parents, friends, etc.)



We have swapped our Hoovers for iPad's but have we as women really evolved out of the gender specific roles of the past? or have we just piled more onto an already full plate? Maybe it is not the roles that changed just the perception of those roles. I still have to push my "Hoover" around, make dinner, laundry, school drop off, bathing kids, grocery shopping, WORK (building my business), and maintain something that resembles a social life. I help bring home the bacon, cook it in the pan, serve it AND clean up after.

I'm also proud of some women's evolution as mothers into multi-taskin mammas and MOMprenerurs too.



I honestly believe that we can have it all and do it all; it just depends on how much we want it ALL! I also believe that the concept of "balancing" it all is totally deceptive and non existent, created by an over worked woman to give her peers hope of achieving this allusive balance to hold on for one more day and give her the strength to keep going.

I'm thankful for my husband as he picks up some slack with the children, cleaning and other household duties out of pure love as I build my business and multi-task. Maybe we have evolved to share our roles in order to make the full plate palatable?

I wanted to acknowledge how we in today's society have made our full plates functionally FABULOUS!

Take pride ladies on how far we have come, how much we do and how far we can go! This holiday season is one of the busiest as we trim the tree, shop, bake, and entertain on top of our regular daily grind! Take pause this holiday to reflect on everything you have accomplished this year ... and what amazing things await you in 2012

EdiTORIal: Women UNITE

There is no stopping the creative multi-tasking MOMpreneur that is TORI SPELLING. I completely identify with Tori as we both are hard working mothers who are passionate, creative and always forward thinking. Further to this it is our ultimate goal to bring women together while empowering and inspiring them.

I have always believed that women should be allies and not competitors. Tori has created a digital space to bring women together via her new on-line community: EdiTORIal. The website is laid out in the form of a digi-mag but also includes a forum for women to share information, tips, tricks, stories and experiences.

The topic range is all encompassing and put together is a reflection of a full life; the life Tori herself is passionate about.

STYLE (Fashion & Beauty)
DWELL (Home: Decorating, Styling)
EAT (Food, Recipes & Tips)
ENTERTAIN (Party & Event Planning)
CRAFT (Ideas & DIY Projects)
RAISE (Parenting)
LOVE (Relationships)
LAUNCH (Promoting businesses & products)

There is something in the EdiTORIal community for everyone.

To her fabulous resume of mother, author, jewelry designer, reality show star, wedding planner, shop owner, business woman, children's clothing designer, and Style Maven; she can now add Digital magazine publisher/writer and champion of women!

I had the opportunity ot talk to Tori about her new venture EdiTORIal:

LISAG: Can you explain to my readers: what is EdiTORIal?

TORI: EdiTORIal is a online community where women can come together and bond. Together we will discuss how to elevate your life. I believe life is art and you should live and create accordingly. We discuss everything from crafting to fashion to relationships.

LISAG: What inspired Editorial?

TORI: My love for life and people inspired EdiTORIal. I loved talking to women over twitter. They all inspired me. So I decided to build a online community where women could come together to discuss the daily topics that interested them.


LISAG: Who is the Editorial reader?

TORI: The EdiTORIal reader is someone who loves life and wants to continually grow and create in all areas of their lives.


LISAG: Do you have a favourite section? or feature?

TORI: I created all the sections on EdiTORIal because they were all areas of life that I was passionate about. Although being pregnant EAT is resonating with me right now.


LISAG: How can my readers join or RSVP to the digital party?

TORI: Its simple to join EdiTORIal. Just go to the website and sign up! Come hang with us!

LISAG: When can we expect to go "Home Sweet Hollywood" again with you & Dean?

TORI: HSH will be returning this fall!

LISAG: If you could give all the Style Maven mamma's 1 Maternity Style Tip what would it be? What is your "must have" maternity piece?

TORI: Belts! Since we've lost our waist I like to create a new waist! I wear my belts right under boobland to create an empire waist. It gives us some shape and looks flattering. So I've been collecting lots of stretchy vintage belts!You can create an empire waist with a belt on dress,top, and tee too! So chic!



Evolution Vintage's pick for a Vintage stretch belt to Style Maternity-Chic:


SHOP: http://www.evolution-vintage.com/

Join the ediTORIal community and RSVP to the digital party here: http://www.torispelling.com/

Follow Tori on Twitter: www.twitter.com/torianddean

Share the site with the ladies in your life! Supporting each other is essential to our successful evolution, ediTORIal being a new and fabulous resource!