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