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Stage Left teacher to be on Oprah network show
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Kimberly Lisowski, owner of Stage Left Dance and Theater Arts Academy in Canfield, taped a segment in Chicago for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network. She can be seen on “Lifeclass” at 8 p.m. Oct. 10 on OWN network.
By ABBY SLANKER
Canfield’s Kimberly Lisowski got the surprise of a lifetime recently as she was asked by the producers of the new Oprah Winfrey Show “Lifeclass” to fly to Chicago to do a taped segment for an upcoming episode.
“I received a mass e-mail from Oprah.com because I subscribe to her online magazine. It asked a general question, ‘If you have changed your life to live more authentically, send us a brief paragraph explaining your story.’ Five hours after I sent a very brief paragraph about leaving corporate America to open Stage Left in Canfield, a producer called me – the same day,” Lisowski said.
From there, the producer asked Lisowski to expound on her paragraph and told her they talk to hundreds of people a day and thanked her for sharing the story. The producer told Lisowski if they wanted to know more, they would call her back.
“I received a call the very next day and the day after that. Each call asking me more in-depth questions and even wanting me to send pictures of myself and my family and of Stage Left. I knew something was happening when the producer Googled my name and got on the Stage Left website, which she loved. A total of four days passed from when I initially e-mailed them to the offer to come to Chicago and tape a segment for the new show. It happened very quickly,” Lisowski said.
While Lisowski did not meet Oprah, she was told her segment would air on her new series “Lifeclass” which begins Monday. It wasn’t until a week or so later, that the producer called Lisowski again and told her Oprah loved her story and her taped segment and wanted her to come to the live show with her, as she was making it her premiere episode.
The show will discuss the life lessons Oprah has learned throughout her career.
“Getting the opportunity to fly to Chicago and tape at Harpo Studios was amazing. I did not meet Oprah at the taping, but was so honored to know I would be part of one of her episodes for her new show,” Lisowski said.
While at the taping, she talked openly about redirecting her life away from corporate America to open a community dance school — Stage Left Dance and Theater Arts Academy in Canfield.
“I had a dream job which included a company car, laptop, expense accounts and business trips to the best cities and hotels in the country, but it was not who I was intended to be. It felt inauthentic.
“I knew that my life was built around this lifestyle that did not match who I knew I was inside, so I decided to ask myself some tough questions about my life and what I really wanted and who I really was,” Lisowski said.
It took time, but eventually Lisowski decided to take a chance and open Stage Left with the mission of inspiring young girls to live into their true design for their life and to have a passion for the arts.”
Lisowski has studied dance since she was 7, and through college and on college dance lines, including professionally in New York City as a young high school graduate.
At the time of the taping, the producers thanked Lisowski for sharing her story and said they would be in contact with more details. About a week later, Lisowski received another call from Harpo Studios.
“When the producer told me they showed Oprah my taped story and she wanted this topic to be the premiere show, I was thrilled. But when she continued to ask me if I would attend the show and now speak directly with Oprah during the episode, well, I almost dropped the phone,” Lisowski said.
Lisowski will be a guest on the first show of the new series Oprah’s “Lifeclass” which will air at 8 p.m. Monday on OWN network.