About the Ethnic Dance Theatre
Ethnic Dance Theatre (EDT) is an award-winning company that is the only professional dance company in the Upper Midwest (and one of few in the USA) dedicated to the artistic performance and preservation of world music, song and dance.
Since its founding in 1974, EDT has brought over 50 different cultures and traditions to life in colorful and spellbinding performances. EDT dancers perform to live music by the EDT Folk Orchestra, and the company's extensive repertoire of folk dance and music includes such diverse countries as Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Germany, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tibet, Turkey, Russia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. . .to name but a few!
Each year, the company presents as many as 300 programs, including full ensemble performances, smaller ensemble programs, school workshops, residencies and informances. In celebration of the enduring nature of folk dance as a participatory activity, the company also hosts annual community dance parties where audience members explore their own cultural traditions as well as those of others through dance and cuisine.
The majority of EDT's performers are also active in either the wider arts community and/or in various ethnic communities of the Minneapolis and St. Paul area and beyond. EDT performers' involvement in the wider community is crucial to the many bridges that have been built between EDT and the arts and ethnic communities in our region and beyond.
EDT also has an award-winning costume collection that is, in addition to the incredible talent of EDT performers, the pride and joy of the company. Please click here to read more about and to view photos of our costume collection.
Read Ethnic Dance Theatre's mission statement, and read a bit about the history of the Ethnic Dance Theatre and view a company timeline.
See who's in the Ethnic Dance Theatre Dance Troupe and who's in the Ethnic Dance Theatre Folk Orchestra!
Read more about Ethnic Dance Theatre Artistic Director Donald LaCourse.
Finally, view a list of Ethnic Dance Theatre alumni!
Concert Facts:
Did you know that?
Coming Soon. . . Factoids for THEN and NOW, EDT's Spring Show 2011
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May 13-15
Ethnic Dance Theatre presents THEN and NOW, its 37th Annual Spring Concert Series featuring the music and dance of Bosnia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Iran, Norway, Sweden, and Turkey at the Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis.
One of the most compelling elements of a people's identity is its folk culture. EDT is known for the authenticity it brings to interpreting ethnic music and dance for the stage, and is respected for its work in promoting ethnic music, dance, and costume as art. The first half of the show--THEN--demonstrates our signature performance style at its best.
Folk cultures are constantly evolving, and the manner of presenting folk music, dance and costume on the stage has been undergoing much change around the world in recent years. In some instances, change in the style of presentation has preserved the baby of tradition, while in others, we feel it has not. In the second half of the show--NOW--audiences will experience something of a departure from EDT's traditional style as we present our own contemporary interpretation of ethnic dance, music and costume!
Presentation of THEN and NOW is made possible in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, the McKnight Foundation, the Target Foundation, and our individual donors.
**If you know something interesting--including your own personal story--about a culture represented in our current season, please tell us about it here!