Bill Text: TX HR1773 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Rodolfo "Rudy" Méndez, the founder and artistic director of Ballet East Dance Company in Austin.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-28 - Reported enrolled [HR1773 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1773-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 1773 |
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WHEREAS, The Austin arts community lost a trailblazing leader | ||
with the death of Ballet East Dance Company founder and artistic | ||
director Rodolfo Méndez on May 5, 2019, at the age of 74; and | ||
WHEREAS, An East Austin native, "Rudy" Méndez won a statewide | ||
dance competition in high school and went on to attend the | ||
prestigious Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York | ||
City; he studied flamenco dance and culture in Spain on a Fulbright | ||
Scholarship and then joined the Peace Corps; while developing dance | ||
and theater programs for children in Costa Rica and Chile, he found | ||
his true calling, providing others with the opportunities for | ||
artistic expression and personal transformation that he had | ||
enjoyed; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Méndez established Ballet East in his hometown | ||
in 1978 to give young dancers and choreographers a place to | ||
flourish; he brought in guest instructors from national companies, | ||
as well as from the local scene, and he created community-building | ||
outreaches and initiatives such as Dare to Dance, which uses dance | ||
and theatrical performance to improve self-esteem and critical | ||
thinking skills among middle and high school students; the program | ||
was recognized by the President's Committee on the Arts and the | ||
Humanities, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts; | ||
encouraging youngsters to explore Latin American culture, he | ||
launched the Ballet Folklorico program, encompassing free | ||
workshops as well as a dance company; in 2009, he created the | ||
Eastside Dance Academy at Eastside Memorial High School; and | ||
WHEREAS, Warm, kind, and caring, Mr. Méndez was a role model | ||
to thousands of young Texans and instilled discipline, pride, and | ||
confidence while also coaching them on ways to overcome personal | ||
challenges; he was a mentor to a host of colleagues as well, and he | ||
shared his expertise generously with other nonprofit organizers; | ||
among the many accolades he received were the Award of Excellence | ||
from the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center and | ||
the Cesar E. Chavez "Sí Se Puede" Award from PODER, and in 2006, he | ||
was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame by the Austin Critics | ||
Table; and | ||
WHEREAS, Rudy Méndez enriched the lives of innumerable people | ||
and greatly enhanced the cultural arts in Austin, and although he | ||
will be deeply missed, he will remain a source of tremendous | ||
inspiration to all who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, | ||
be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Rodolfo Méndez and | ||
extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it | ||
further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of | ||
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Rodolfo | ||
Méndez. | ||
Rodriguez | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 1773 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on May 24, 2019. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||