City Council Meeting July 24, 2013
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Trinity Irish Dancers are celebrating their 30th anniversary of providing entertainment and service to the Chicagoland community, thrilling audiences with their inspiring showmanship, and have been a flagship for dance programs worldwide; and
WHEREAS, Trinity was the birthplace of "progressive Irish dance" which opened the artistic pathways that led directly to commercial shows like Riverdance; and
WHEREAS, Trinity has 14 locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin and the school has appeared in numerous feature films, local television broadcasts, and on national television programs including The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, Conan, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart Show, and the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, in addition to winning two Emmy Awards for appearances on PBS; and
WHEREAS, Trinity has one of the greatest Irish dance teachers in the world, Dolores Taaffe, and Trinity was thrilled when she chose to move from Dublin, Ireland, to make Chicago her home, bringing her amazing talent to Trinity as their new coach and choreographer; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Taaffe has been called by some as "the Bela Karolyi of Irish Dance", having coached countless Irish dancers to World Champion titles^ and her level of teaching will elevate the entire North American Irish dance industry; and
WHEREAS, Trinity has earned 11 team gold medals, 33 titles at the World Irish Dance Championships, and this year alone under the direction of Dolores Taaffe, has won an unprecedented 2 solo World Champion titles for the United States; and
WHEREAS, Trinity's program is held together by its philosophy that teaches students life lessons both on and off the dance floor and Trinity strives to give back to the community through numerous community performances where last year they provided roughly 50 free outreach performances at Misericordia, senior centers, and children's hospitals; and
WHEREAS, Trinity Irish Dancers are looking forward to hosting the upcoming premier dance performance, Damhsa, which will take place August 6 and August 7, and which will be emceed by accomplished Irish dancer and newly crowned Miss Illinois, Brittany Smith, where the Trinity Irish Dancers will be featured along with Men of Trinity and Trinity's Touring Group, fresh from their summer tours in France and Poland; and
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered in a meeting this 24th day of July, 2013, do hereby congratulate the Trinity Irish Dancers on their many accomplishments leading up to their 30th Anniversary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Trinity
Irish Dancers.
Patrick J. O'Connor - Alderman, 40 Ward