Philadelphia celebrated its dedication to dance and the arts last night at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts -- and declared April 7 "Patrick Swayze Day."
"I'm not sure what you do on Patrick Swayze Day," Swayze told the audience, "but I'd like to have some say in it."
Production company Dance Affiliates celebrated its 20th anniversary with an Evening of Dirty Dancing, in which Swayze and local radio and television station WHYY were saluted for their commitment to the arts in the Philadelphia region.
The program featured performances by the Koresh Dance Company and internationally renowned dancer Desmond Richardson.
Other highlights of the evening included a photo montage of Swayze as a young child and excerpts from his new film One Last Dance, which was written and directed by his wife Lisa Niemi.
After performing a dance segment from his new film,Swayze was presented with the proclamation stating that April 7 will be "Patrick Swayze Day" in Philadelphia.
Deputy City Representative for Arts and Culture Carol Clark Lawrence presented Swayze with the proclamation, saying that Philadelphia should be dedicated to fostering a flourishing arts society.
"It's incredibly important," she said, "mainly because it's the pulse of the community."
"It's a tragedy that arts educational programs are being thrown out the window and replaced by computer classes," Swayze agreed. Swayze and Niemi said that they are longtime supporters of arts in education.
"Supporting the arts is as important as finding a cure for cancer and AIDS," Niemi said. "It defines our society."
Dancer George De La Pena also participated in the presentation -- he agreed with his friend Swayze that the arts deserve attention and funding.
"I think it's vitally important that the youth of America have alternatives to sports," De La Pena said. "It's not the only thing that's physical and deserves funding."
Dance Affiliates has been credited with bringing international dance troupes to the city through its contemporary dance series Dance Celebration, which is co-presented with the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Dance Affiliates founder and artistic director Randy Swartz called the Annenberg Center "a window of culture in Philadelphia," adding that it is important for a liberal arts education to include exposure to the arts.
Proceeds will support the Dance Affiliates' educational and commissioning programs.
Swartz helped Swayze start his career, and the two share the notion that the arts should be part of any education -- Swayze said he was honored to perform at the Dance Affiliates celebration.
Roni Koresh, founder of the Koresh Dance Company said that fundraisers are integral to the company's financial stability.
"We survive off events like these," he said. "It's encouraging to see so many people get together to support dance."
Event co-chairman Jerome Muchnick said that it is important for Philadelphia to publicize its cultural prominence.
"People don't realize how much Philadelphia is growing, culturally," Muchnick said.
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