Logo for the Ethnic Dance Theatre.

Board of Directors

EDT's directors come from all walks of life and bring their expertise in fundraising, marketing, arts administration and more to EDT's table. The board of directors are the backbone of the organization and help keep EDT's mission alive.

Current Board Members:

Eva Maria Kish

  • Title/Post: Chair
  • Terms on EDT board: 1
  • Expertise/Background: M.A. in education, specialization in dance; Eva is professional folklorist who studied at the State Ballet Institute Folk Dance Department in Budapest, Hungary; who was a guest performer with the VDSz Bartók Béla Dance Ensemble, Budapest, Hungary; is a founding member of Banevolks folk dance group, Ball State University, Muncie, IN; founder of Eszterlánc Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble, San Francisco, CA; founder of Forrás Non-Profit Association, Boston, MA; Recipient of Jerome Foundation Research grant to Hungary
  • Professional Affiliations: Resident Choreographer for EDT since 1992; serves on Board of MN Hungarians, Inc
  • Fun Fact: Works as an instructional designer with Andersen Windows; was born in Germany; name was Kiss until 1957 when became a naturalized US citizen; teaches beginning and intermediate Hungarian language to local Twin Cities residents

Rita Schultz

  • Title/Post: Vice-Chair
  • Terms on EDT Board: 1
  • Expertise/Background: Information technology; active member of the Twin Cities' Latvian community; is nearing completion of an MA in Theology.
  • Fun fact: Loves to garden and take care of her two cats.

Jeanne Schultz (no relation of Rita!)

  • Title/Post: Secretary
  • Terms on EDT Board: 4
  • Expertise/Background: Information and Systems Management; German Folk Dance
  • Professional Affiliations: S.G. Edelweiss, St. Paul; German-American Institute of Minnesota
  • Fun Fact: Was an original performer with EDT in 1974; she's also the twin sister of Mark LaCourse, also an original member of EDT and like Jeanne, a sibling of EDT Artistic Director Donald LaCourse.

Leila Poullada

  • Title/Post: Director
  • Terms on EDT board: 14
  • Expertise/Background: Graduate studies in Middle Eastern and South Asian Area Studies and History; Volunteering; Dance
  • Professional Affiliations: Board of Directors, UNA-MN
  • Fun Fact: Spent 12 years with her U.S. Foreign Service spouse in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Republic of Togo; Has travelled extensively by jeep, sailing ships and Third World transport

Donald LaCourse

  • Title/Post: Director (EDT Artistic Director)
  • Terms on EDT Board: 33
  • Expertise/Background: German folk dance; Hungarian folk dance; Traditional folk costumes of the world; Folk traditions of the former Yugoslav republics; Studied dance in Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, Costa Rica, Russia, North Ossetia, Ukraine
  • Professional Affiliations: Board of Directors, National Folk Organization; S.G. Edelweiss, St. Paul; German-American Institute of Minnesota
  • Fun Fact: Is the Imelda Marcos of folk footwear.

Emily Judd

  • Title/Post: Company Representative
  • Terms on EDT Board: 2
  • Expertise/Background: BA in Dance from St. Olaf College; Department Manager at Nordstom's

Concert Facts:

Did you know that?

Coming Soon. . . Factoids for THEN and NOW, EDT's Spring Show 2011

Photo advertising "Then and Now," the 2011 Spring Concert Series of the Ethnic Dance Theatre

Click to enlarge

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!

Click here to read previous factoids