Artistic Director
The driving force behind EDT, Donald LaCourse serves as artistic director, lead dancer, choreographer, cultural researcher, and costume designer.
Mr. LaCourse began folk dancing at the age of four. At age seven, he decided to make it his career when he first saw Duquesne University´s Tamburitzans Dancers. Mr. LaCourse became a member of Edelweiss St. Paul, a German folk dance troupe, at age 10. He danced in this troupe and in musical theatre productions until 1973, when he moved to Seattle to join The Koleda Folk Ensemble (where choreographer Mark Morris was also a dancer). In 1974, Mr. LaCourse returned to Minneapolis and co-founded EDT.
Mr. LaCourse has completed a dozen international research trips in order to learn dance techniques, research costumes, and to better understand the cultural context of his work. The Autonomous Republic of Northern Ossetia (Russia), Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Poland, Spain, and Ukraine are just a few of the countries which he has visited. Nationally recognized for his choreography, Mr. LaCourse was commissioned to create work for the Chimera Theatre, the Radost Folk Ensemble of Seattle, and Avaz International Dance Theatre in Los Angeles. He has also appeared as a guest artist with the Minnesota Opera, the North Star Opera Company, Katha Dance Theatre and Dolina Polish Folk Dancers.
EDT's outstanding national reputation as one of the most diverse and distinctive repertoires to be performed in the world of ethnic dance is a direct result of Mr. LaCourse's dedication, acumen, and artistry.
To contact Mr. LaCourse write: dlacourse@ethnicdancetheatre.com.
Concert Facts:
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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!