HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 45

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

Ben Lujan

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT AND POTENTIAL OF KESHET DANCE COMPANY AND COLLABORATE WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH AND INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF KESHET DANCE COMPANY.

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company has been honored by First Lady Michelle Obama and the president's committee on the arts and humanities as a recipient of the prestigious 2009 "Coming Up Taller Award"; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company provides educational services to children, youth and families throughout New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company provides socialization and esteem-building skills through dance for homeless children and youth in partnership with the Title I homeless project; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company teaches math, literacy and conflict resolution skills through dance within the state's youth diagnostic and development center; and

     WHEREAS, children who participate in the program increase math and literacy test scores over fifty percent based on pre- and post-test scores and decrease conflicts by over twenty percent compared to nonparticipating students; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company operates gender-specific programs for female inmates at the youth diagnostic and development center utilizing dance to instill a positive, healthy attitude in females who have previously been victims of physical and sexual abuse; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company operates a pre- and post- release program for incarcerated juveniles who are leaving the youth diagnostic and development center, which provides ongoing mentorship and participation throughout the parole and reintegration process and which has tracked a zero percent recidivism rate to date for participating juveniles; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company provides mentorship and therapeutic programs through dance for youth and adults with physical and developmental disabilities; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company employees a full-time company of professional dance artists and educators, and the company tours statewide, nationally and internationally, drawing audiences and artists from throughout the nation and the world to New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the president's committee on the arts and humanities has formally recognized the transformative impact that Keshet dance company has on communities in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company has become a cultural institution serving all of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the legislature is committed to improving the lives of children, youth and families; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company is well-respected both locally and nationally; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company has recently been designated the resident dance company of the KiMo theater in Albuquerque; and

     WHEREAS, Keshet dance company and the KiMo theater have entered into an operating agreement to oversee management, operations and expansion of the KiMo theater; and

     WHEREAS, the KiMo theater and Keshet dance company partnership provides the potential to transform the KiMo theater into an economically vibrant arts and culture destination for residents and visitors and for Keshet dance company to expand the quantity and diversity of children, youth, families and audiences reached throughout New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the cultural affairs department, the economic development department, the tourism department, the public education department and the children, youth and families department be requested to work with Keshet dance company to further the goals of the organization by working with incarcerated and paroled youth, homeless youth, individuals with physical and developmental disabilities and professional artists and educators from throughout New Mexico to improve the lives of New Mexico residents, transform the KiMo theater into a revenue-generating arts and culture complex, create new jobs, increase revenues for the state and attract and retain audiences and individuals from around the world to New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretaries of cultural affairs, economic development, tourism, public education and children, youth and families.

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