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, combining
ideas and talents to create hybrid works of theater and dance
residing between the poles of ballet and
modern dance, many speaking to social and interpersonal issues.