Danse Macabre

MDA leaves behind a dance mecca as its legacy. Derek Phillips, a dance-education coordinator at the Perpich Center for the Arts, notes that "dance is becoming much more common in the schools. We have something called a future in dance. Did MDA have something to do with that? Most definitely." As a sign of dance's prominence in the Cities, Peterson points to Artspace's plans to renovate the Shubert Theater in downtown Minneapolis as a frequent dance venue--a project Peterson is supporting as a Shubert planning-committee member.

Lest the prognosis seem too cheery, though, it's useful to remember that the Shubert project remains only one-third funded, and dance continues to attract fewer fans than music and theater. "We're still living in a culture that doesn't place a high value on what we do," Patrick Scully says. "What will need to happen next is the same initiative that brought about MICA. Maybe independent choreographers can pull themselves together again>=...

Phil Prowse

When legwarmers were the rage: A performance photo from 1985 featuring MICA founding member Mary Easter (center) and John Munger (left)

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"No one should try to go it alone," Scully concludes. "We have to dream about what we want, put out well-thought plans, and go forward."