HR0641 LRB094 14143 RCE 49341 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, On August 28, 2005, the Back of the Yards
3 Neighborhood Council (BYNC) Ballet Folklorico won first place
4 during a national competition and became the U.S. Champions in
5 the Mexican Folkloric dance world; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The BYNC Ballet Folklorico was formed in July of
7 1994 as an after-school program for children at risk in the
8 Back of the Yards community; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The program was to teach the youth about Mexican
10 history, culture, and heritage through dance lessons and to
11 offer them an alternative to gang participation and other
12 negative activities in the community; and
 
13     WHEREAS, This kind of constructive activity in a group
14 setting improves the self-esteem of youth and, in turn,
15 increases reading scores in the neighborhood schools,
16 decreases the dropout rate in the high schools, increases
17 attendance records, and decreases the mobility rate of the
18 students so they can improve their academic achievement; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The dance group began with 30 children and young
20 adults performing at local churches and community centers;
21 today, 368 youth from the Back of the Yards belong to the
22 BYNC's Ballet Folklorico under the artistic direction of
23 Salvador Cisneros, the creative direction of America Balbuena
24 Cisneros, and the instruction of Jorge Emilio Corona and Teresa
25 Ivette Luna; and
 
26     WHEREAS, The BYNC Ballet Folklorico has received many
27 accolades and awards for their performances; in 1999, the
28 Ballet received the Best of the Festival Award at the Viva
29 Aztlan Theater and Dance Competition in Lubbock, Texas; that
30 same year, they won first place in both the Children and Adult

 

 

HR0641 - 2 - LRB094 14143 RCE 49341 r

1 Division and won first place in Variety of Dances presented;
2 therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5 we congratulate the members of the BYNC Ballet Folklorico on
6 becoming the U.S. Champions in the Mexican Folkloric dance
7 world and extend our sincerest best wishes for their continued
8 success and happiness; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10 presented to the BYNC Ballet Folklorico as an expression of our
11 highest regards.