Staying Alive

Deborah Jenssen discusses her transition from dancer to singer, sharing stories from “Solid Gold,” music videos, and her advice for aspiring artists. Before I even knew the name of Deborah Jenssen, my next interview subject, I saw her dancing in music videos like Was (Not Was)’ Walk The Dinosaur and on episodes of Solid Gold I had acquired from a fan-to-fan DVD seller. Years later, I would discover Ms. Jenssen on Facebook, and I would find that she had transitioned from dancing to singing. With her many diverse talents, I knew she would have some fantastic stories to tell. We spoke last year, but today, you’ll all get to know her as I have.     Say hello to Deborah Jenssen!     Johnny: Who were your biggest influences as a dancer growing up? Deborah Jenssen: I started dancing when I was three, so I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about famous dancers at that age, but I knew Baryshnikov, Nureyev, Margot Fontaine and The New York City Ballet.