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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Austin arts community lost a trailblazing leader |
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with the death of Ballet East Dance Company founder and artistic |
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director Rodolfo Méndez on May 5, 2019, at the age of 74; and |
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WHEREAS, An East Austin native, "Rudy" Méndez won a statewide |
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dance competition in high school and went on to attend the |
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prestigious Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York |
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City; he studied flamenco dance and culture in Spain on a Fulbright |
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Scholarship and then joined the Peace Corps; while developing dance |
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and theater programs for children in Costa Rica and Chile, he found |
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his true calling, providing others with the opportunities for |
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artistic expression and personal transformation that he had |
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enjoyed; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Méndez established Ballet East in his hometown |
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in 1978 to give young dancers and choreographers a place to |
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flourish; he brought in guest instructors from national companies, |
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as well as from the local scene, and he created community-building |
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outreaches and initiatives such as Dare to Dance, which uses dance |
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and theatrical performance to improve self-esteem and critical |
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thinking skills among middle and high school students; the program |
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was recognized by the President's Committee on the Arts and the |
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Humanities, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts; |
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encouraging youngsters to explore Latin American culture, he |
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launched the Ballet Folklorico program, encompassing free |
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workshops as well as a dance company; in 2009, he created the |
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Eastside Dance Academy at Eastside Memorial High School; and |
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WHEREAS, Warm, kind, and caring, Mr. Méndez was a role model |
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to thousands of young Texans and instilled discipline, pride, and |
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confidence while also coaching them on ways to overcome personal |
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challenges; he was a mentor to a host of colleagues as well, and he |
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shared his expertise generously with other nonprofit organizers; |
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among the many accolades he received were the Award of Excellence |
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from the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center and |
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the Cesar E. Chavez "Sí Se Puede" Award from PODER, and in 2006, he |
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was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame by the Austin Critics |
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Table; and |
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WHEREAS, Rudy Méndez enriched the lives of innumerable people |
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and greatly enhanced the cultural arts in Austin, and although he |
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will be deeply missed, he will remain a source of tremendous |
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inspiration to all who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Rodolfo Méndez and |
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extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Rodolfo |
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Méndez. |