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90_HR0275
LRB9007685KBkb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Jo Ann
4 Craig of Clarendon Hills, Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, At the age of sixteen, Jo Ann Preston went to
6 New York to study classical ballet; she saw an advertisement
7 announcing open auditions being held for the famous Radio
8 City Rockettes and went to audition for Russell Markert, the
9 director of the Rockettes; after earning a spot with the
10 dancers, she performed for over ten months with the group; in
11 1983 she returned to New York for the Rockette Alumnae
12 Association's annual Charity Ball, to reminisce with old
13 friends and colleagues; and
14 WHEREAS, Jo Ann Craig went on to become a featured
15 dancer at Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe, and at many other
16 New York City and Havana clubs in the 1940s; she tried out
17 and won the part of Ado Annie in the national touring company
18 of Oklahoma; after returning to the city at the completion of
19 the successful tour, she performed television song and dance
20 acts, worked in a variety of clubs, and performed on national
21 television commercials for the Kellogg Company; and
22 WHEREAS, Jo Ann Craig met her husband, Robert, and
23 together they moved to Chicago in 1953; in 1962 she set up
24 her own dance studio and continued to perform in area theatre
25 productions; and
26 WHEREAS, Many of Jo Ann Craig's students went on to
27 perform in professional productions such as Phantom of the
28 Opera, or to perform in major ballet companies; Jo Ann was
29 one of the founders of the Claire Oosting Scholarship Fund,
30 the Plank Road Players, and was a member of the board of many
31 arts councils including the Chicago Drama League and Allied
32 Arts; and
-2- LRB9007685KBkb
1 WHEREAS, Jo Ann Craig is survived by her children, Tori
2 and Bruce; her brother, Jack; her grandson, Robert; and her
3 nieces, Lisa and Kay; therefore, be it
4 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
6 mourn, along with her family, friends, and many students, the
7 death of Jo Ann Craig of Clarendon Hills, Illinois; her
8 talent and skill as a dancer and teacher will be long
9 remembered by those who knew her best; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11 presented to the family of Jo Ann Craig.