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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The presentation of a 2017 Texas Medal of Arts Award |
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| 6 | 7 | | to the Dallas Black Dance Theatre provides a welcome opportunity to |
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| 7 | 8 | | honor the organization's founder and artistic advisor, Ann |
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| 8 | 9 | | Williams, for her lifelong support of the arts; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The signature event of the Texas Cultural Trust, the |
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| 10 | 11 | | Texas Medal of Arts Awards honor the achievements and creative |
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| 11 | 12 | | talents of leaders in the arts, as well as those whose generosity |
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| 12 | 13 | | has provided artistic opportunities for Texans of all ages; and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Ann Williams founded the Dallas Black Dance Theatre |
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| 14 | 15 | | in 1976, with the goals of encouraging an appreciation of dance |
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| 15 | 16 | | among minority youth and helping them use dance as a form of |
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| 16 | 17 | | creative expression; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Under her leadership, DBDT has grown to include a |
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| 18 | 19 | | fully professional company of multiethnic dancers who perform |
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| 19 | 20 | | modern, jazz, ethnic, and spiritual works across the country and |
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| 20 | 21 | | around the world; a second troupe, known as Encore!, is made up of |
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| 21 | 22 | | semiprofessional dancers and is involved in local and regional |
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| 22 | 23 | | educational outreach programs; in addition, DBDT operates a |
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| 23 | 24 | | training school, Dallas Black Dance Academy, which teaches ballet, |
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| 24 | 25 | | tap, modern, jazz, and ethnic dance to more than 475 students every |
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| 25 | 26 | | week; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Williams served as the artistic director of the |
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| 27 | 28 | | Dallas Black Dance Theatre until 2014, and she continues to remain |
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| 28 | 29 | | deeply involved as its artistic advisor; she is also a founding |
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| 29 | 30 | | member of the Dance Council of North Texas and the International |
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| 30 | 31 | | Association of Blacks in Dance, and she has further shared her time |
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| 31 | 32 | | and talents as a panelist for numerous organizations, such as the |
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| 32 | 33 | | Texas Commission on the Arts, the Dallas Center for the Performing |
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| 33 | 34 | | Arts Foundation, and the Houston and Arkansas Arts Councils; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, This distinguished Texan has garnered myriad |
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| 35 | 36 | | accolades over the course of her career, including an Arts |
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| 36 | 37 | | Community Alliance Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts and |
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| 37 | 38 | | induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame; in 2005, she was |
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| 38 | 39 | | honored as part of the Masters of African American Choreography |
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| 39 | 40 | | series at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Through her vision and leadership, Ann Williams has |
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| 41 | 42 | | built an enduring cultural institution while inspiring a love of |
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| 42 | 43 | | dance in countless Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 44 | 45 | | Legislature hereby commend Ann Williams for her immeasurable |
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| 45 | 46 | | contributions to dance and dance education and congratulate her on |
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| 46 | 47 | | the occasion of the Dallas Black Dance Theatre's receipt of a 2017 |
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| 47 | 48 | | Texas Medal of Arts Award; and, be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for Ms. Williams as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 50 | 51 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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