[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 49 (Monday, April 12, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E601-E602]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        IN HONOR OF FRANCIS PATRELLE'S THE YORKVILLE NUTCRACKER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 12, 1999

  Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a special 
tribute to Dances . . . Patrelle as it performs another magical holiday 
performance of The Yorkville Nutcracker.
  Dances . . . Patrelle was founded by Francis Patrelle in 1986. Born 
in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Francis Patrelle studied ballet in 
Philadelphia with Jean Williams and at the Pennsylvania Ballet before 
receiving his B.F.A. from Julliard, where he studied on scholarship 
with Alfredo Corvino, Jose Limon and Anthony Tudor.
  As an undergraduate, Mr. Patrelle created works for the Julliard 
School, the Joffrey School Concert Group, the Bel Canto Opera and the 
High School for the Performing Arts.
  After Julliard, Mr. Patrelle choreographed for companies around the 
United States, including: the Santa Fe Opera, Houston's Grand Opera, 
the Berkshire Ballet Company, the Riverside Dance Festival, the 
American Opera Center and the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.
  In 1986, Dances . . . Patrelle premiered at the Riverside Dance 
festival featuring guest dancers from the New York City Ballet. Dance 
Magazine declared that ``with this concert, Patrelle moves to the front 
line of young ballet choreographers.''

[[Page E602]]

  The honors did not stop there. Mr. Patrelle went on to choreograph 
numerous ballets that won praise from critics and dancers alike: Come 
Rain/Come Shine, American Dreamer, Reeks with Class!, Beloved Memories, 
Fuoco e Fiamma, Jazz Fools, Black Forest Carousel, Scottish Fantasy, 
Red Ellington, Get Happy, BING/LOVE . . . and me!, Country Dances/The 
Hunt, Clara, Anyone Can . . .!, and The Firebird, among others.
  Over the years, Mr. Patrelle has received numerous grants from the 
Selz Foundation for Dance, the Dance Magazine Foundation and the 
Harkness Foundations for Dance.
  Dances . . . Patrelle premiered the Yorkville Nutcracker in 1986 to 
critical acclaim. Patrelle's creative adaptation of the traditional 
children's holiday story, which is set in Olde New York, earned praise 
from reviewers who called the production ``handsome'' and declared that 
``Francis Patrelle knows how to stage a ballet. It looks like The 
Yorkville Nutcracker is here to stay.''
  This year's performance features New York City Ballet dancers Lourdes 
Lopez and Jock Soto, and Patrelle II students from Ballet Academy East.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to bring to your attention Dances . . . 
Patrelle and its third season of The Yorkville Nutcracker. It is an 
honor to have such a creative and artistic ballet company located in my 
district.

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