Page 6 Local Business Today • Friday, March 27, 2026
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7661 145th St. West, Apple Valley, MN | 952-432-7833 | www. heartbeat-studios. com
Founded in 1998, Heartbeat Performing Arts Center, 7661 145th Street in Apple Valley, is co-directed by Deborah Lysholm, CEO, and daughter, Kristin Freya, Artistic / Academy Program Director. Heartbeat is celebrating its 28th year.
Lysholm and Freya have life-long careers in the performing arts. Heartbeat’ s highly regarded professional instructors provide training in a nurturing environment to ages three to adult, beginner to professional. Curriculum includes dance classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, break dance, leaps and turns, dance line, musical theatre dance, conditioning / strength & stretch, flamenco, and Ori Tahiti. Under the direction of Freya, four skill levels of acting classes are offered. Heartbeat’ s choirs, under the direction of Emily Colay, have three levels, plus the elite touring choir, Heart & Soul.
Heartbeat is home to special engagement dance crews and the award-winning professional dance company, Vox Medusa, with performing credits locally, nationally and in London, Barcelona, Tokyo, and Cairo.
Heartbeat is a non-competition performing arts center, advocating dance, acting and choir as beautiful and powerful art forms. All music selections, scripts, costumes, and choreography are age appropriate. As part of their education, students of all ages and skill levels participate in Heartbeat’ s three annual musical theatre productions. Heartbeat seeks rare permissions to present shows that are challenging to both instructors and students, allowing everyone to share in the joy of a job well done. Past musical theatre adaptations include, Star Wars( courtesy, Lucas Films, Ltd.), Lord of the Rings( courtesy, Middle-earth Enterprises), Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’ s Stone( courtesy, J. K. Rowling, Warner Bros.), Dr. Who( courtesy, BBC-UK), and many more. Every January Heartbeat presents a new original production.
To further enhance life-enriching experiences for its students, Heartbeat has hosted master classes with luminaries such as tap dancers, Savion Glover, Dianne Walker, and the late Gregory Hines, and the late jazz singer, Bobby Caldwell. Heartbeat has established travel study partnerships with studios in Barcelona, Tokyo, Trondheim, and Oslo.
Heartbeat is currently taking registrations for its 8-week summer session that begins July 6. On June 20 and 21, Heartbeat will present the musical, Disney’ s Lion King( presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International( MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www. MTIShows. com).
Kristin Freya & Deborah Lysholm
For more information regarding Heartbeat’ s instructors, classes or upcoming shows, contact: www. heartbeat-studios. com. 952-432-7833.
Members of Heartbeat’ s Vox Medusa Dance Company in selection from ORACLE
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