0001|                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 13
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0002|     42ND LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SPECIAL
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0003|     SESSION, 1996
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0004|                         INTRODUCED BY
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0005|                        MANNY M. ARAGON
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0006|     
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0007|                                
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|     
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0011|                        A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0012|     EXPRESSING THE LEGISLATURE'S CONGRATULATIONS TO MARIA BENITEZ ON
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0013|     HER RECEIVING A NOMINATION FOR THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF ARTS.
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0014|     
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0015|       WHEREAS, the national medal of arts is conferred on only
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0016|     twelve Americans each year by the president of the United
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0017|     States; and
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0018|       WHEREAS, Maria Benitez, a native of Taos, is co-founder of
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0019|     the institute of Spanish arts and directs her own dance company,
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0020|     the Maria Benitez teatro flamenco, and the international Spanish
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0021|     dance workshop; and
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0022|       WHEREAS, she is recognized for melding classical flamenco
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0023|     with contemporary styles; and
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0024|       WHEREAS, she has recently choreographed Verdi's La Forza
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0025|     Del Destino for Placido Domingo and the New York metropolitan
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0001|     opera, and she is scheduled to choreograph Bizet's Carmen for
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0002|     the metropolitan opera this fall for the second time; and
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0003|       WHEREAS, she received the governor's award for excellence
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0004|     in the field of dance, the classical dance award from the
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0005|     institute of Puerto Rico and the golden key to the city of
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0006|     Miami, and she has served on peer panels of the national
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0007|     endowment for the arts and the arts division of the New Mexico
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0008|     office of cultural affairs; and
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0009|       WHEREAS, Maria Benitez has thrilled audiences all over the
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0010|     world with her unique style of flamenco and impassioned
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0011|     entertainment, and in so doing, has exposed the world to her
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0012|     native southwestern heritage and culture;
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0013|       NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0014|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that its congratulations, recognition and
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0015|     commendations be expressed and conveyed to Maria Benitez upon
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0016|     her nomination for the national medal of arts and for her
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0017|     tireless celebration of New Mexico's heritage and cultural
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0018|     roots; and
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0019|       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0020|     transmitted to Maria and Cecilio Benitez and to the teatro
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0021|     flamenco.
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0022|                            - 2 -    
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