Letter from Sharon Chapman

Letter from Sharon Chapman

Letter addresses parents of MDT students in regards to Loyce Houlton's removal as director of MDT and the establishment of the "Houlton Support Group."

Decmber 4, 1986

DECEMBER 4, 1986

DEAR PARENTS:

ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, AN OPEN MEETING WAS HELD AT WHICH MRS. HOULTON'S LAWYER PRESENTED HER SIDE OF THE ISSUE OF HER BEING RELIEVED OF THE POSITION OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MINNESOTA DANCE THEATRE AND SCHOOL. THIS MEETING WAS ATTENDED BY COMPANY MEMBERS, PARENTS, STUDENTS AND DR. AND MRS. HOULTON. STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALSO INVITED. INFORMATION WAS EXCHANGED THAT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING AND FOR MANY OF US PROVIDED THE ANSWERS TO LINGERING QUESTIONS. AS A RESULT AN IDEA WAS MENTIONED BY SOME OF THE ATTENDEES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE.

TO ELIMINATE THE COMPROMISING OF THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION IN THIS ISSUE AND TO ALLOW A FORUM FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO PARTICIPATE, THE HOULTON SUPPORT GROUP IS BEING FORMED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS TO DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT FOR MRS. HOULTON THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL AND TO MAINTAIN AN AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING THE HOULTON AESTHETIC ALIVE AND WELL IN THE TWIN CITIES.

LET ME EMPHASIZE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION WILL ACT IN A POSITIVE, CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. WE ARE NOT HERE AS "TROUBLE MAKERS" BUT RATHER AS PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT AN ART FORM THAT IS THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION. MRS. HOULTON HAD MADE IT KNOWN TO THE BOARD IN JANUARY THAT SHE FELT IT WAS TIME TO PLAN FOR HER SUCCESSOR. THEREFORE OUR ISSUE IS NOT THE POSITION OF ARTISTIC DIRECTOR BUT RATHER THE WAY IN WHICH HER REMOVAL WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ENSUING ALLEGATIONS. MINNESOTA DANCE THEATER IS THE RESULT OF MRS. HOULTON'S DETERMINATION TO FULFILL A DREAM. IT IS HER EXPRESSED WISH THAT NOTHING BE DONE TO HURT MDT IN ANY WAY. THEREFORE OUR SCOPE OF EFFORT WILL BE IN SHOWING MRS. HOULTON THAT WE LOVE HER AND THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT SHE HAS GIVEN TO THIS COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION WE HOPE TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP HER TECHNIQUE AND STYLE IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE DANCE COMMUNITY.

IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HOULTON SUPPORT GROUP PLEASE ATTEND AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH RIGHT AFTER THE DRESS REHEARSAL AT NORTHRUP. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND BUT WISH TO BE INVOLVED OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME AT 925-2395.

SINCERELY,
[Signature: Sharon]
SHARON CHAPMAN

P.S. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS OPEN TO ANYONE AND IS NOT INTENDED IN ANY WAY TO PRECLUDE THE PARENTS' ASSOCIATION.