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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lauren Anderson, a celebrated principal dancer with |
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Houston Ballet, retired from that company in late 2006 after a |
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distinguished performing career of more than two decades; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Anderson trained exclusively at the Ben |
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Stevenson Academy from the age of seven; she joined Houston Ballet |
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in 1983 and in 1990 became the first African American to be promoted |
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to principal with a major dance company; and |
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WHEREAS, A lead dancer in many classical ballets, Lauren |
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Anderson established a repertoire that included works by George |
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Balanchine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, Christopher Bruce, James |
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Kudelka, and Trey McIntyre; additionally, she created the title |
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role in Ben Stevenson's Cleopatra, and her performance as the |
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Egyptian queen received international acclaim; and |
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WHEREAS, Lauren Anderson has danced for audiences around the |
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globe, appearing onstage in New York, Chile, Moscow, and Chicago; |
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she was featured on the cover of Dance Magazine in April 1999, and |
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she has had her talents showcased in People and Pointe magazines and |
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on the television programs A&E Breakfast With the Arts, CBS News |
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Sunday Morning, and the game show To Tell the Truth; and |
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WHEREAS, Her accolades reflect the high esteem in which she |
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is held in the African American community; Ms. Anderson has been |
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honored by the Houston Area Urban League, Inc., the Delta Gamma |
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Foundation, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and she has |
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received a 2007 MLK Keeping the Dream Alive Award from the Martin |
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Luther King Foundation; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to achieving outstanding success in her |
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professional life, Lauren Anderson is a devoted wife and mother; |
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she is married to jazz saxophonist Kyle Turner and is the proud |
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parent of Lawrence Bell Fitzgerald Turner; and |
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WHEREAS, An integral member of Houston Ballet, Ms. Anderson |
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will continue to promote classical dance in the Houston area |
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through her new position as an outreach coordinator with the |
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company; and |
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WHEREAS, Lauren Anderson's stellar career is a testament to |
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her great talent, endless hard work, and profound commitment to her |
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art, and through her exhilarating performances she has brought joy |
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to countless audiences at home and abroad; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Lauren Anderson on the occasion of her |
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retirement as a principal dancer with Houston Ballet and extend to |
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her sincere best wishes for good fortune and happiness in all her |
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future endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Anderson as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |