DEBORAH JOAN LYSHOLM

Mission:

Deborah’s personal and professional mission, through Heartbeat Studios, is to share the passion of dance with students of all ages and skill levels.  To continually create innovative choreography and produce professional concerts that incorporate multiple performing arts disciplines. To share the healing aspects of dance with the community at large and to connect with dancers locally and overseas for mutual respect and appreciation of dance as a universal language. 

Professional Training and Education:

Deborah has trained extensively in Tap, Ballet, Jazz and Musical Theater dance since childhood. Her professional training includes ongoing intensive/private study with world renowned Tap dancer, Dianne Walker and regular attendance at master dance classes held nationally and internationally with the likes of the late Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Bril Barret (Riverdance), Robert Atwood (Alvin Ailey), Maureen Mansfield (Paul Taylor Dance Co.), Van “The Man” Porter, Christopher Eck/Josh Cyr (TAP DOGS), Jo Tremaine, Gus Giordano, Henry Le Tang, Lane Alexander, Jo Jo Smith, Jimmy Payne, Tommy Tune, Tommy Walsh, Lorraine Holscher, (NYC Rockettes), Chester Whitmore, Bob Banas, Jo Savino, Janet Smith, Marcus Alford, John Benoit, Robert Reed, Barbara Duffy, Brenda Bufalino, Guillem Alonso/Roser Font (Barcelona), Peter King (Geneva), Jason Samuels Smith, and more.  She has traveled several times to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas for independent dance study.  Deborah attended the University of Minnesota, Education and received her Training Program Development and Evaluation Certificate from the University of St. Thomas. 

Professional Instruction:

Deborah’s teaching career is extensive and includes instructing dance classes at various private studios and public schools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area from 1968 to 1997 when she founded and built her own performing arts school, Heartbeat Studios. She currently teaches over 20 classes per week in Tap, Ballet, Pointe, Jazz and Musical Theater dance. Deborah has traveled to several cities in the US where she taught as a guest artist and to cities overseas including Geneva, Milan and Barcelona where she studied, taught and established “sister-studio” relationships.  In December 2003, she traveled to Havana, Cuba on a US licensed tour to study Afro-Cuban religion and its influence on dance and music, and visited the Tony Menendes Studio to share the art of dance.  She taught master Tap and Jazz classes at Mankato State College.  Deborah has taught specialized classes for individuals with mental and physical disabilities and provided movement coaching to singers and band members.

Choreographic Credits:

Deborah’s choreography has been called “innovative and highly original”.  Her choreographic credits include many community theater productions: GREASE, Pippin, The Boyfriend, Anything Goes, The Wiz, Oklahoma!, and co-choreographing the 1991 Super Bowl half-time show.  She choreographed two PBS public service videos (Anti-smoking and World Hunger Awareness campaigns). Deborah has produced over 50 shows in her dance career and since its opening in 1998, her studio, Heartbeat, produces three major concerts/benefits each year.   

Professional Performances/Bookings:

Deborah has been a featured dancer in several musical theater productions and local concerts including the Hot Summer Jazz Festival Orchestra Hall (2002); several Twin Cities’ Jazz clubs – The Quest, Bogart’s, Medina, First Ave., Café Lurcat, Weyerhauser Theater, O’Shaughnessy Theater, Union Depot, Landmark Center, Minneapolis Convention Center, the Walker Art Center, and numerous local theaters, festivals and conventions.  She performed with the TAP DOGS at Mall of America and was a featured dancer on two PBS Public Service videos.  Deborah performed one season on the Vikings’ Football dance line.  She was called on stage to dance with the late Gregory Hines in Chicago (1998) and NYC (2001).  Each year Deborah coordinates several master dance classes with noted professionals and over the past few years has booked more than 25 engagements for Jazz musicians at some of the most prestigious Jazz clubs in the Twin Cities. 

Professional Memberships and Recognition:

Deborah is a member of the International Tap Dance Association (ITA) and served on the board of the Metro Regional Arts Council and the Lake Alimagnet Arts Council.  Her journey to build Heartbeat Studios and the first-ever domestic violence law suit filed in the USA in Civil Court that she and her daughter won (1996) has been featured in numerous newspaper articles and twice on the WCCO Channel 4 (CBS) “Dimension Report”.  Deborah is a sought after speaker on the prevention of violence in the home and appeared on The Minnesota Experience talk show.  She has given presentations to religious organizations, law enforcement agencies, public schools, medical organizations and governmental agencies.  Her presentations before the State of Minnesota Judicial and Legislative committees helped change the laws in Minnesota regarding domestic violence.  In 1998 and 2002, Deborah was nominated for the SGMA Heroes Award.