In 1974, Barbara Riggins, Kip Watson, and Patti Walsh founded The Performing Arts Company of Florida out of a desire to provide performing experience for area dancers who wanted to pursue a professional dance career in Central Florida, later changing its name to Southern Ballet Theater.

In 1992, the company moved to its present location at the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts, and over the next 15 years continued to grow and expand, elevating its artistic standards and vision when the legendary international star Fernando Bujones joined the company as Artistic Director, bringing to the Company a level of sophistication and quality that has raised it to new standards.

In 2002, the Company changed its name to Orlando Ballet.

In its 33-year history, the Orlando Ballet has presented more than 135 productions with over 93 premiere performances, has toured extensively, and has been a Goodwill Ambassador in Florida since 1982.

The Orlando Ballet School offers two educational options and is home to more than 1,000 students in four locations.

In addition to training future stars, Orlando Ballet serves the community through a series of outreach programs, such as the very successful S.T.E.P.S., a program for "at risk" children that began in 1992 and has trained more than 500 inner-city Orlando children since its inception.

Now under the artistic direction of Robert Hill, renowned teacher, acclaimed choreographer, and accomplished dancer, Orlando Ballet is Central Florida's only professional resident ballet company with an annual season spanning eight months from September through May, performing at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, with a company of 24 International professional dancers and six apprentices.

Richard T. Crotty, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Orange County Mayor, do hereby proclaim the week of March 22 through March 29, 2009 as

ORLANDO BALLET ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WEEK

in Orange County, and honor and recognize the Orlando Ballet for providing 35 years of quality entertainment for the citizens of Orange County and Central Florida.

DONE AND ORDERED this 17^th day of March, 2009.