Mission:
We create, perform, and teach dance so that Idaho communities Can experience dance.
Vision:
Idaho communities fully embrace the art of dance.
About Us:
The mission of Idaho Dance Theatre, a company of professional artists, is to advance and promote the art of dance as part of the cultural and educational environment of Idaho and the Northwest, through performances of contemporary dance, educational outreach, and artistic collaborations.
In the fall of 1989 Marla and Fred Hansen, former dancers with the American Festival Ballet, were invited to do a concert in Jackson, Wyoming at the Red Garter Theater. Fred and Marla invited Carl Rowe, a modern dancer living in Sun Valley, to join them as a performer and choreographer. The three dancers collected a group of Boise dancers, rehearsed in donated space, and presented a full evening of eclectic dance to an enthusiastic Jackson audience.
After all the work of preparing that concert, the company decided to perform the same concert in Boise. That, too, went well. In the spring of 1990 they again assembled dancers and joined forces to present their 2nd Boise concert, featuring the choreography of all three. They secured 501 (c) (3) status in 1991, adopted the Idaho Dance Theatre name, and began to seriously operate a contemporary dance company.
In 1991 Carl Rowe became a co-artistic director along with Marla and Fred. The early years were a mix of exciting performances and difficult times for the three directors. After enduring an injury that failed to heal, Fred retired from the stage and took up lighting design, becoming the company's technical director. Marla became a full-time, tenured professor at BSU. Carl took an interest in fine arts painting and eventually became a professional painter. During this time Carl and Marla continued to choreograph, direct, and manage the company, expanding their seasons to three annual concerts and touring Idaho and Oregon.
