Life & Work with Lisa Cohen of Orange

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Cohen

Hi Lisa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I got started working with children in the arts at a young age. I was on scholarship with the Colorado Ballet and I cleaned floors. bathrooms and was assigned to teach the baby ballet classes. Eventually I was sent out to The Denver Public Schools and taught dance at the school sites. After I got my degree in theatre and dance from University of Colorado I performed at The Denver Center Theatre, as well as other local regional theatres, when I came ot California to pursue my career, I was presented with the ongoing artist dilemma of supporting myself. One day I drove by a preschool in Granada Hills and “Dance-On-Wheels” popped into my head. I knew in that moment that I could create the same educational arts opportunities for children in private and public schools. I was on fire with the idea and very inspired. One day I met a young musician at a KINKOS and share my passion, his name was Ray, and I told him how I wanted to create music that inspired movement through using imagination. We created this amazing kids dance journey called “The Dancial Magical Land”, and this was the basis for my company. His music blended with my story that matched a modern dance class was the basis for the curriclum for Dance On Wheels. The company grew quickly from 3-15 schools and soon enough I started to hire dance teachers to teach in my style. Eventually parents started asking me to dress up like all sorts of things and perform at their kids parties. I was a unicorn, a ballerina duck , a mermaid and a dancing mouse. All of a sudden, I was a busy entrepreneur performing, teaching and even creating educational and performance programs for arts organizations and public venues.

One day one of the mom’s of my dance students, asked me to partner with her in a new venture, it was called “Sugar Free Fun Parties”. She would bake healthy cakes and do the decor and I would perform and designed entertainment. I had never even been to an upscale kids party, never painted a face or made an animal balloon, but I knew how to use pretend and imagination to engage children. Our most popular theme at that time was Alice in Wonderland, which is still one of my favorites, and we created numerous Alice in Wonderland Theme parties throughout Los Angeles. After less than a year doing this we were so busy,and the word had gotten out about our unique parties. Our company was asked to be featured on “The CBS Homeshow”. The caveat was everything including the music had to be completely original, so I worked with a Dance-On-Wheels music teacher and wrote original Alice Tea Party songs that we use to this day. This must have been arond 1989 or so, I would love to find the footage of this. This really launched the company.

Eventually my heart led me to Orange County, where I got married and we had a beautiful little girl. I sold the LA division of my business and continued the company on a much smaller scale, because now I was happy to embrace a new wonderful adventure of creating a family. In 1993 we had our beautiful daughter Leah, we lived in Newport Beach. Creative Art & Parties for Kids was more of a side business at that time, but I was involved in the community, taught at a few schools and was embraced by the Orange County community as a talented teacher and performer. I love being a Mom and of course I was so blessed to be able to do all of our daughter Leah’s parties. When she was around 6 -7 years old I became a single Mom and then the business had to support us, so it was a whole new game. My amazing daughter and I were on a whole new journey as I worked very hard to grow the business, balance being a teacher, single parent, navigate being a daughter to an aging Mom. Our beautiful daughter grew as an actress and was a wonderful help, often helping me by being a princess, running the business with me and being the most amazing human that ever blessed this planet. She attended Orange County School of the Arts, and is now a professional actress, writer and director.

Creative Arts and Parties for Kids (Dance-On-Wheels) has been through many changes, and even survived an arson in 2017. I have an amazing business partner who helps me keep everything together in so many ways. . Now we have a beautiful location, called “Play & Parties, where we do parties, as well as it is a landing pad for all of our many talented entertainers, who I train before they perform at our partes. We have hundreds of professional costumes, wigs, and props.
During the pandemic I started writing down all of the stories that I have written and created over the years, and expanded on my StoryLady character by becoming a children’s author. In this next phase of my life I really want to write my story, which I think can be of some inspiration to women, on how to create lives based on your passion, reinvent them when presented with challenges and help others to recognize and change patterns that may be obstacles for personal growth. I love being children’s author now, and have created around 7 children’s books, and I also have a You Tube channel so I can read these books and others to kids and reach a bigger audience. The StoryLady’s Magic Books and my children’s You Tube Channel as well as website for my books and my kids show is www.storyladysmagicbook.com. My favorite story that I have written so far is “Tulie the T-Rex Ballerina” which is about a T-Rex that wants to be a ballerina but her family and friends tell her to stay within the norms of being a dino…of course, she proves to all them that Dinosaurs actually can dance and even inspires the other dinosaurs to find their own dances within themselves. This maybe a little autobiographical, except I am not a dino. However, I did have a lot of folks around me thinking I was a little crazy majoring in theatre and dance, and wondering what in the world I would do with that degree! I think I answered that question.

Our websites for kids parties that come to you is
www.creativepartiesforkids.com
and our location is
www.playandparties.com

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have certainly been many struggles along the way. I don’t think life would be life without challenges.
In every problem there is the possibility, possiblity for growth, creativity, learning.

I have faced so many challenges, a divorce, a fire, financial challenges, family illnesses, aging, loss….. but I always try to embrace them with the attitude that there is something to gain from even the most diffucult situations.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My body of work over the past 40 plus years has really been about nurturing creativity and expression, about embracing the magic of pretend. I have had to commercialize this kernel of truth a bit to survive, but what I would love to leave behind is knowing that there are many children who know they can be or do anything. What sets our parties and classes apart is the focus on self-expression and creativity. I also focus on this theme with my children’s books, for example, Tulie the T-Rex Ballerina is all about honoring your passion and following your dreams.

However, the greatest thing in my life has been being a Mother. I have had the opportunity to love, nurture, learn from and be a part of the most amazing, beautiful, kind, forgiving and talented creature on this planet, our daughter Leah. Leah, whose professional name is Leah Moth is a truly talented creatrix, like Mom, but in her own way, as a filmmaker, actress and writer.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
As a said, being Leah’s Mother gives me great joy! Seeing her blossom as a person and an artist is absolutely the best.
For myself, all on my own, the things that give me the greatest joy, are being in my garden, writing, yoga, loving all my sweet animals, and quiet nights at home, where I get to reflect on life, and feel safe. Life has been kind of an adventure and a constant craziness, so I really treasure moments of peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.storyladysmagicbook.com for my books. www.playandparties.com for our location, and www.creativepartiesforkids.com for our parties
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativepartiesforkids.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/playandparties.com
• LinkedIn: lisa karen cohen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/storyladysmagicbook
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/creativepartiesforkids

Image Credits
John Cox