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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING IDA VELEZ ON HER RETIREMENT AFTER 43 YEARS OF ENRICHING THE LIVES OF CHICAGO YOUTH THROUGH DANCE AT THE NOT-FOT-PROFIT, LE BALLET PETIT
WHEREAS, Ida Velez is a longtime educator in the Chicago arts community and has committed decades to the dance community by fostering a love of the art of dance and performing arts for Chicago youth; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Velez has touched thousands of lives throughout her career, often to children with little or no access to arts education; and,
WHEREAS, Ms. Velez, born in Puerto Rico, moved to Chicago in 1953 and started to learn dance as a young girl to learn English and meet other fellow dancers; and,
WHEREAS, she has been teaching for over 43 years and has taught thousands of dancers over her years as a dance instructor; and,
WHEREAS, she is known to be a tough teacher with high expectations and a huge heart; and,
WHEREAS, she teaches dance at Le Petit Ballet (“LBP”), a volunteer run nonprofit neighborhood dance studio in Ravenswood Manor founded in 1954; and,
WHEREAS, LBP, founded by ballerina Kitty La Pointe, started the dance school in 1954 and Ida Velez was her successor for over 40 years; and,
WHEREAS, one of LBP’s core values is the belief that everyone can dance and everyone can perform evidenced through the diverse dancers that come to LBP to learn dance; and,
WHEREAS, after an inspiring career of 43 years of teaching arts education, Velez is retiring on June 26, 2021.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Cook County Board of Commissioners and residents of Cook County honor Ida Velez on her retirement after 43 years of enriching the lives of Chicago youth through dance at the not-for-profit, Le Ballet Petit.
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