The Summation of Experiences: How Kinetic State Founder Lisa Zipken Bridges Multiple Mediums For Self-Expression
I don't think about high school very much. While I respect my past, I strive to live in the now and plan for the future. I understand that past versions of myself shape who I am today. When I graduated high school, I could recite that the mitochondria are the cell's powerhouses or explain the difference between an adverb and an adjective. But I had no idea what my 'next steps' would be. It was a time filled with both promise and uncertainty.
As a high school senior, I dreamed of moving to a big city to pursue photography for National Geographic. Armed with my bulky, now-obsolete camera, I would capture everyday moments. Drama class, my last period of the day, was an outlier in my academic schedule. I wasn't a stereotypical theater kid—I couldn't tell you which musical had won the latest Tony or explain modern acting methods. Full disclosure: I had chosen drama to lighten my course load while taking AP classes. During my senior year, the new drama teacher was Lisa Zipken.
Lisa stood out from the other teachers. She was young, energetic, and meritocratic. Social dynamics were left at the door. In her classroom, we actively learned—there was no time for high school drama. We explored acting and movement techniques, and she made my final year of high school memorable.
Recently, I came across her Instagram and saw how she had transformed from teacher to entrepreneur with her business, Kinetic State. Intrigued, I wanted to learn how she translated her acting, movement, and diction skills to help others discover their most confident selves.
In our conversation, Lisa shared her transition from teaching to entrepreneurship, focusing on her new venture, Kinetic State. She explained how performance techniques can be applied to everyday life, highlighting the importance of somatic movement and emotional release.
Interview with Kinetic State Founder Lisa Zipken
1. What are the benefits of participating in the arts?
Human connection. Without a doubt. I think this is more crucial than ever in this digital age. In the arts, you express the internal landscape—what's in the soul. It's permission to let go of being so buttoned up and tap back into that childlike quality of exploration. The artist expresses the internal landscape outwardly as a means of connection to others. It's our birthright to be creative, which can look like me starting Kinetic State or someone cooking in their kitchen. If you're living innovatively, living is an art—connection and remaining open.
2. How does theater impact one's creativity?
I love this question. Shakespeare says we're holding the mirror up to nature. We're saying, "Hey, world, look what you're doing." And so, through the process of crafting—which very simply is the art of making choices—the actor is exposing that. To do so, they must keep a very open instrument (body and voice).
Also, it's called a play, so theater says play. Don't forget to play—remember what you did as a kid, free of fear and judgment. You just were being, feeling, and doing. Let's do that. And let's remind people, by holding the mirror up to nature, that they can do that too.
3. How do you incorporate your mission and vision into your work?
My mission was born out of my work as an actor, director, and teacher—I was on all sides of the coin. I saw firsthand how these techniques, crafted for performers, translated seamlessly into daily life for myself and my students.
Our mission is to bring these tools out of the performance arena. The concept of an open instrument—body and voice—is the basis of our work. The actor, dancer, and singer are their instruments. They use both kinetic and somatic rehearsal techniques to achieve that.
The kinetic techniques allow you to access the internal somatic landscape, where you can feel your instrument opening and expanding at a fascial level. Ultimately, it's about techniques for vital living that were previously reserved for performers.
4. What advice would you give to students and young professionals who want to pursue the arts?
I would give them the exact same advice I would give my clients at Kinetic State, who largely are not pursuing the arts in the technical sense. I say this because simply living is an art.
My advice is this: You are the sum total of your experiences up to this point—from when you were a seed being swayed in the womb. You are the only you in the world. To adopt the words of Martha Graham, it is your responsibility to keep the channel open. Not to judge or compare but rather to honor the mere fact that you are the sum total of your life experiences and, therefore, have a unique voice and something to offer.
Try new things and quit them shamelessly if you know they are not for you. Go inside and excavate—remove what doesn't serve you and just go.
5. What is the future of Kinetic State?
The long game is an online platform. There will be courses, workshops, and supplementals accessible online.
In the immediate future, the company is considering grants, speaking engagements, interviews like this one, networking, and teaching as many workshops as possible to raise brand awareness.
I'm excited that some fun merch is in our future.
Conclusion
I've known Lisa Zipken for over ten years, and like kinetic energy, she is constantly evolving. Through Kinetic State, she is redefining how we approach movement, confidence, and connection—helping others unlock their most authentic selves.
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