LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the Westchester Ballet Company as it
celebrates 60 seasons with a special anniversary performance on April 9,
2011

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay trib-
ute to organizations and individuals whose commitment and creative
talents contribute to the cultural enrichment, education and enter-
tainment of their community and the State of New York and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
the Westchester Ballet Company (WBC) as it celebrates 60 seasons and 25
years of artistic direction by Beth Fritz-Logrea and Jean Logrea; and
WHEREAS, The Westchester Ballet Company will joyfully celebrate this
auspicious occasion with the presentation of "Shaping Lives through
Dance," in the Recital Hall at State University of New York Purchase
College's Performing Arts Center in Purchase, New York on Saturday,
April 9, 2011; and
WHEREAS, "Shaping Lives through Dance," WBC's 2011 Spring Repertoire,
is a mixed repertory program with staging and choreography by Beth
Fritz-Logrea; it features selections from the Westchester Ballet Compa-
ny's past, present, and future including "Pas de Quatre," "Promenade,"
"Sleeping Beauty," "Blue Bird Variation," "Graduation Ball," "Les Patin-
eurs" and the premiere of WBC's newest ballet, "Bolero"; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1950 and dedicated to promoting awareness and
appreciation of dance throughout all the communities of Westchester
County, the Westchester Ballet Company, which celebrated 50 years of
dance in 2000, is one of the oldest community ballet companies in the
United States and has become known for excellence in performance and
dance education; and
WHEREAS, In 1950 Iris Merrick, a former student of Michel Fokine and
soloist with the English Opera Company, established the Scarborough
Children's Ballet Theatre, which officially became known as the West-
chester Ballet Company in 1954; over the years Iris Merrick's school
developed a fine reputation in the county for artistic discipline and
regular professional performances; and
WHEREAS, Under Iris Merrick's direction the company's annual
productions of "The Nutcracker" were staged at the Scarborough School's
Beechwood Theatre and at the County Center in White Plains; in January
1971 the school moved out of 1 Spring Street in Ossining into larger
studios at 23 Croton Avenue; tragically, four years later, on January 9,
1976, the Company's Croton Avenue home burned to the ground; and
WHEREAS, Lost in the fire were the rehearsal hall, more than 1,000
costumes, scenery, a comprehensive recording library, and the detailed
notes for the 22 ballets in the Company's repertoire; but thanks to the
generosity of its Westchester neighbors, including the Ossining Board of
Education, which offered a nominal rent on the third floor of the Wash-
ington School, not far from the burned-out studio, the Company recovered
and even went on to stage a production of "The Nutcracker" that same
year, at Marymount College in Tarrytown; and
WHEREAS, After Iris Merrick's well-deserved retirement in 1980, after
30 years as Director, the Company was led by Gabriela Ionita, a former
principal of the Bucharest Opera Ballet Company and a graduate of the
Vaganova Academy (Kirov) in Leningrad for six years; during this time
the Washington School was sold and the Company moved to the Clearview
School, formerly the Scarborough School; and
WHEREAS, Since 1986, the Westchester Ballet Company has flourished
under the artistic direction of Beth Fritz-Logrea and Jean Logrea, both

principal dancers with the Graz, Austria Graz Opernhaus Ballet; upon
moving to the United States, they immediately began organizing the
Logrea Dance Academy and started planning the Company's future perform-
ances; and
WHEREAS, The Logreas have infused the Company with energy and excite-
ment; WBC's annual Nutcracker performance at the Westchester County
Center now features a cast of over 125 dancers and guest artists, with
exquisite choreography, many special effects, and lavish costumes and
scenery; and
WHEREAS, Other ballets in the Company's repertoire include "Peter and
the Wolf," "Coppelia," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," " Pas de Quatre,"
"Les Sylphides," "Graduation Ball," and "Aurora's Wedding"; and
WHEREAS, Westchester Ballet Company members may join as student danc-
ers as young as age 8 and progress by audition through the junior compa-
ny and apprentice levels until they are accepted into the senior compa-
ny; training at the Company's school, the Logrea Dance Academy, is
rigorous, emphasizing the development of strength and flexibility and
the cultivation of artistic expression; dancers receive instruction in
healthy nutrition and safety as well and senior company members partic-
ipate in the nation's most prestigious summer training programs and
festivals; and
WHEREAS, The dedication, discipline, and artistic expression of WBC's
dancers are acclaimed by audiences of all ages and the Company's Board
of Directors works closely with the artistic directors to provide West-
chester audiences with professionally produced ballet performances at an
affordable price, and to offer financial support to talented Westchester
County students who seek professional training; and
WHEREAS, The arts are the building blocks of civilization, they are
central to human expression; they enlighten us and inspire the imagina-
tion; individuals and organizations which further such worthy purposes
richly merit the recognition and appreciation of this Legislative Body
and the people of Westchester County and the State of New York; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Westchester Ballet Company as it celebrates 60 seasons and 25
years of artistic direction by Beth Fritz-Logrea and Jean Logrea with a
special anniversary performance on April 9, 2011; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Westchester Ballet Company and to Beth Fritz-Logrea and
Jean Logrea.