Studio Stories: Reminiscing on Twin Cities Dance with Jim Lieberthal - Season 5 Episode 71

Jim Lieberthal has worked creatively in Minneapolis since 1982 : as a dancer, choreographer, actor, writer, producer and now filmmaker. He started this journey originally in music, playing the cello for 11 years. His efforts have also combined work with actors and dancers with alternate abilities, including seated dancers, and dancers utilizing mechanical assists.Work performed included 17 years of Nutcrackers, a TV series for children on PBS (“The Folk Book”) utilizing techniques of Noh and Kabuki Theater from Japan, and moments in the movie Purple Rain. He studied Wigman, Horton, Modern Jazz, Kabuki and Noh theater along with Ballet as the principal pillars of his performing and choreographic efforts.He has received a McKnight Fellowship for Choreography (“Mer-Peace” 1988) and a Sage Award for Performance (“Listen” – choreography by Rosy Simas 2013). He has produced 3 evenings of original work, including commissions by Kanopy Dance and Threads Dance Project. Currently, he is in collaboration with multiple artists creating a Theatrical/Dance/Poetry film to encourage people to deeper dialogue in their conversations (premiering online in 2022 - “Heart Gears Shifting”).He has immense gratitude to many of the most wonderful talents in the Twin Cities area, combiningideas and talents to create hybrid works of theater and dance residing between the poles of ballet andmodern dance, many speaking to social and interpersonal issues.