HR0449 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Northeastern Illinois University's in-residence dance company and center, Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater, is celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2011; and

WHEREAS, The Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater is a not-for-profit corporation chartered to share the rich traditions of dance, music, and culture of Spain with all our communities and to be a center for encouraging new artistic creativity from artists and educators; and

WHEREAS, The Ensemble Espanol is hailed as the "Center for Spanish Dance in America" and is recognized as the leader in Hispanic dance and music, uniting all of our communities via their mission of art, education, and culture; and

WHEREAS, The Ensemble Espanol has been spreading the art and culture of Spain in the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and around the world via education, scholarships, performances, and tours for more than three decades; and

WHEREAS, The company's founder and artistic director, Dame Libby Komaiko, is the first American artist in history to be awarded Spain's highest honor to foreign nationals with the Lazo de Dama de la Orden de Isabel, la Catolica, by Juan Carlos I, King of Spain, for her work in spreading the cultural values of Spain via music and dance throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, The company's extraordinary repertoire, tours, classes, workshops, seminars, residencies, and festivals, shared by millions of audience members and students for the past three decades, exemplify their mission as the premiere foundation of the international center for Spanish dance and music at Northeastern Illinois University; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate June 16, 2011 as Ensemble Espanol Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dame Libby Komaiko at the American Spanish Dance and Music Festival as a symbol of our respect and esteem.