LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Yvonne Meier upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of The Performing Artist Award by the Brooklyn
Arts Exchange Arts and Artists in Progress

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to honor and recog-
nize those individuals whose commitment and creative talents contribute
to the cultural enrichment of their communities and of the entire State
of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Yvonne Meier upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of The
Performing Artist Award, to be celebrated at the 14th Annual Brooklyn
Arts Exchange Arts and Artists in Progress Awards Ceremony, on Saturday,
March 28, 2015, at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange Building, Park Slope,
Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) Arts and Artists in Progress
awards recognize individuals in the arts who have revealed and trans-
formed their creative works; by instigating change, they have deepened
the definition of their field and paved the way for others; and
WHEREAS, These distinguished awards are given to some of the most
talented, generous, creative, and inventive persons in New York City
dance, theater or performance; each awardee is then asked to Pass it On,
honoring a colleague who demonstrates the same qualities for which they,
themselves, were chosen; and
WHEREAS, Originally from Zurich, Switzerland, Choreographer Yvonne
Meier has lived and worked in New York City since 1979; at that time,
she became a member of the original group Performance Space 122, regu-
larly collaborating with Ishmael Houston-Jones and many others through-
out the United States and Europe; and
WHEREAS, Yvonne Meier's work, spanning anywhere from big spectacles to
quiet solos, has been supported by three Fellowships in Choreography,
the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the
Arts, and the NEA Inter Arts, Franklin Furnace and Pro Helvetia; and
WHEREAS, Yvonne Meier was the recipient of three Bessie Awards for her
works "The Shining" in 1993 and 2011, and "Stolen" in 2009; and
WHEREAS, "The Shining" is a thrilling dance-installation set inside
the intricate maze of 350 refrigerator boxes; originally created and
performed in 1993 at Performance Space 122 and again in 1995 at PS1
Contemporary Art Center, this Bessie Award-winning work puts audience
members and performers together in an extraordinarily crafted, living,
breathing and inimitable environment; and
WHEREAS, In "Stolen", Yvonne Meier constructs an environment of play-
ful aggression that defies convention and comparison; and
WHEREAS, Yvonne Meier's works have been supported twice through the
Movement Research Artist-in-Resident Program; today, The American Master
Piece program of the NEA is supporting her upcoming recreation of "The
Shining"; and
WHEREAS, For the past three decades, Yvonne Meier has been teaching
Releasing Technique and Authentic Movement both nationally and interna-
tionally; in addition, after a life-long commitment to improvisation,
she has developed her own technique known as Scores; and
WHEREAS, Yvonne Meier also teaches children's dance classes in New
York Public Schools through Movement Research's Dance Makers program;
and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
those individuals who add strength, vigor and inspiration to the

cultural diversity and quality of life in the communities of the State
of New York; and
WHEREAS, It is most fitting that we take time to celebrate the arts of
our Nation, to honor our artists, and to express our appreciation to
everyone who patronizes the arts; and as we celebrate the arts, we cele-
brate and give thanks to our American freedom, the only atmosphere in
which artists can truly create and in which art is truly the expression
of the soul; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Yvonne Meier upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of
The Performing Artist Award by the Brooklyn Arts Exchange Arts and
Artists in Progress; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Yvonne Meier.