[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 25748]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN HONOR OF YOLANDA FERNANDEZ-QUINCOCES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2004

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Yolanda Fernandez-
Quincoces for her remarkable accomplishments in dance and music and her 
exceptional artistic contributions to the community over the past few 
decades.
  Ms. Fernandez-Quincoces's extensive career includes teaching, 
choreographing, and producing. In 1974, she founded Yolanda's Academy 
of Music and Dance, which has developed young talent in New Jersey for 
30 years. In addition to managing the school, she has taught classes in 
the gifted and talented program in Union City and in the Woodrow Wilson 
School for the Integrated Arts. Under her dedicated instruction, more 
than 38 students have won recognition in statewide talent search 
competitions and many have continued their dance training at 
prestigious institutes such as the New York City Ballet's School of 
American Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, and established universities.
  Her professional credits include a position as a teaching liaison 
between the New York City Ballet and New York City Opera and the 
Woodrow Wilson School. Ms. Fernandez-Quincoces was also involved with 
hosting and producing a television arts program on Cablevision, and has 
made several guest appearances on other shows. In addition to her 
current projects, she is a member of the National Education 
Association, the Dance Educators of America, and the National Guild of 
Piano Teachers.
  For her exceptional work, Ms. Fernandez-Quincoces has received 
numerous awards, including ``Teacher of the Year'' for Union City, 
Hudson County, and the State of New Jersey, and ``Outstanding 
Choreographer'' for three different productions from the Dance 
Educators of America in New York City. Most notably, she was also 
honored at the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration with other 
well-known artists, performers, and political figures.
  Ms. Fernandez-Quincoces emigrated from Cuba to the United States when 
she was three years old. She began studying ballet at the age of five, 
training at the New Jersey Ballet, Oneida's Dance Studio, and the 
American Ballet Theatre. Ms. Fernandez-Quincoces also received a 
bachelor's degree in music education from New York University and, in 
addition to her dance training, is also an established pianist.
  Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Yolanda Fernandez-
Quincoces for her years of outstanding teaching and choreographing. She 
has demonstrated remarkable passion for the arts and has influenced the 
lives of many with her instruction and creative works.

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