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Universal Language: Cultures Connected Through Dance

Minnesota Dance Theatre

The mission of Minnesota Dance Theatre and the school is to create masterful and provocative dance performances which entertain and inspire audiences and foster talent by providing a comprehensive classical and contemporary training curriculum focused on the technical and artistic demands of a professional dance career.

With a history spanning almost half a century, Minnesota Dance Theatre and the Dance Institute (MDT/DI) is one of the most acclaimed arts leaders in our state, our region, and in the nation. Loyce Houlton, one of the first American women to gain national and international recognition as a choreographer, teacher and producer, founded the company in 1962. With more than 90 original ballets to her credit, Loyce Houlton helped forever shape the cultural panorama of Minnesota and brought significant attention to the artistic richness of the state. Bru ce Marks, Artistic Director for Boston Ballet, stated at the time of her death in 1995: "She belongs to that group of tenacious American women artists that includes Martha Graham and [Agnes] DeMille."

Houlton established an arts organization that performed major, groundbreaking new works of dance in venues throughout the United States and abroad, including the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Italy’s Spoleto Festival. A lasting legacy to the community is her production of Nutcracker Fantasy, an annual holiday tradition for families throughout the region.

In April 1995, Lise Houlton was named artistic director of Minnesota Dance Theatre. Her esteemed dance career began with MDT and includes two years with the Stuttgart Ballet and eight years at the pinnacle of her profession at American Ballet Theatre.

Long recognized for excellence in dance education, MDT/DI exponentially increased our educational reach with the merger of Ballet Arts Minnesota and the School of Minnesota Dance Theatre in September 2006, maintaining programs from both schools with refreshed commitment to the core values of our training programs.

Click here to visit Minnesota Dance Theatre's site