Ex-MN Dance Theatre board member: Management wouldn’t listen to us

When news broke yesterday that the Minnesota Dance Theatre and Dance Institute's board had unanimously resigned, neither the board nor the management were willing to explain exactly why they were leaving.

However, Mike Erlandson, an MDT board member who stepped down a few months ago, was willing to provide some context.

Erlandson says he resigned from the board for a number of reasons, including a job change. But he made clear upon his departure that he had concerns over the lack of communication between the board and Lise Houlton, the company's artistic director.

"Decisions that should have been approved by the board were not," said Erlandson. "Lise was not receptive to the board's suggestions."

As someone who took his fiduciary responsibility as a board member seriously, Erlandson said that lack of consultation left him extremely uncomfortable.

While Erlandson has not spoken with members of the board in recent weeks, "I do know that this decision would not have been made easily. I'm guessing this has been coming for some time."

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