Photographer Elizabeth Waterman Reveals Striking Parallel Between Jellyfish and Exotic Dancers

Photographer Elizabeth Waterman, whose bold, cinematic style has gained attention for humanizing and elevating overlooked subcultures, has a new work in progress that blends jellyfish and exotic dancers.

The project, called “Propulsion,” offers a compelling visual exploration that places two seemingly disparate worlds — jellyfish and exotic pole dancers — into a single, striking narrative.

Shot entirely on analog 35mm and 120mm film, with all effects done in-camera, “Propulsion” presents diptychs that pair the ethereal movement of jellyfish with the raw, expressive power of pole dancers.

Waterman invites the viewer to consider:

Are marginalized dancers as astonishing and important as Earth’s oldest multicellular animals?

Both subjects — mysterious, enchanting and often misunderstood — reveal a parallel grace and strength. Jellyfish move through water with ancient elegance, while dancers propel themselves through space with control and vulnerability.

In Waterman’s hands, motion becomes a shared language of survival, expression and freedom, woven by the connection between humans and nature.

She says:

“This project juxtaposes the motions of ancient creatures, jellyfish, in their aquatic domain with the dynamic, sensual artistry of pole dancers in motion. Both represent distinct yet parallel realms of propulsion: one driven by the innate rhythm of the ocean, the other by the raw power and agility of the human body.”

You can learn more about her work on her website.