[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN HONOR OF FIRST STATE BALLET THEATRE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 12, 2010

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to recognize First State Ballet Theatre as they celebrate their 
10th anniversary. Over the past decade, First State Ballet Theatre has 
become a staple in and around the Delaware arts community, one that 
currently holds the distinction of being the only professional ballet 
company in our state.
  Since its establishment, First State Ballet Theatre has brought the 
beauty and excitement of live ballet to Delaware, and in doing so has 
served more than 7,000 school children through in-theatre lecture 
demonstrations and classes. The company has made the city of Wilmington 
a tourist destination for ballet enthusiasts, commissioning major works 
from internationally recognized choreographers and drawing patrons from 
throughout the mid-Atlantic region--from Richmond, Virginia, to 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to New York City and Rhode Island. The 
collaborations that First State Ballet Theatre has initiated with 
Delaware artists and arts institutions like Charles Parks, SPARX, the 
Delaware Symphony Orchestra, OperaDelaware, and the Grand Opera House, 
have served to enrich our state's arts programs and we in Delaware are 
extremely grateful for their contributions.
  In addition to regional and local achievements, First State Ballet 
Theatre has also made a significant impact on the international stage. 
Its students have been ranked among the top 12 young dancers in the 
world by distinguished judges at the Youth America Grand Prix--the 
world's largest ballet competition for pre-professional dancers. The 
company founded and presented four Arabesque international festivals of 
classical and contemporary ballet, attracting guest artists from around 
the globe to the main stage of the Wilmington Grand Opera House. In 
2007, First State Ballet Theatre students performed by special 
invitation at the Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy--a 
prestigious international ballet festival--and were the only Delaware 
performing arts company to receive such an honor.
  In recognition of their 10th anniversary, I would like to 
congratulate and honor First State Ballet Theatre for the extraordinary 
amount of effort and dedication the company has invested not only in 
its students, but in the greater arts community of Delaware. I commend 
them for their continued efforts and numerous contributions, and I wish 
them all the best on this momentous occasion.

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