Hi folks About a month ago, we were stunned to learn that the Saratoga Music Hall was in danger of becoming a courtroom. On May 26, the Saratoga Springs City Council did indeed decide to convert the space. As founder and former Director of the Flurry Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY, I am reaching out for ideas, but even more so, for help in preserving our wonderful Saratoga Music Hall space (3rd floor of Saratoga Springs City Hall) for dancing, and the arts in general. I’m sure many of you have been to the Flurry Festival and danced at the historic Saratoga Music Hall, built in a somewhat different format in the 1870s and renovated in the early 1930s We have drafted an information sheet to distribute to our local dancers this Friday night. See below Paul Rosenberg Albany, NY 518-482-9255 Calling all Dancers We need your help to save the Historic Saratoga Music Hall The City of Saratoga Springs has received a mandate from NY State to create another courtroom. They decided that renovating the space of the third floor Music Hall in City Hall is the best option. This space has been used for the Flurry Festival since we moved Saratoga in 1994, and is most dancers' favorite venue. It is also the site of the very popular Diamond Dance, a swing dance series affiliated with DanceFlurry Organization. The City Council says the Music Hall is not of historical value and is underutilized. We need to let ourselves be heard if we want to dance in or otherwise use the Saratoga Music Hall after 2017. The only way we can save the Music Hall is if a huge number of people write to the people listed below. The following list is our suggestion for writing to the decision makers, in order of importance starting at the top. The decision is now seems to be in the realm of the NYS Office of Court Administration. They will only read signed letters which are either postal mailed or faxed. Ron Younkins Executive Director, NYS Unified Court System Office of Court Administration 25 Beaver Street - 11th Floor New York, NY 10004 Fax number: 212-428-2190 Governor Andrew Cuomo – he ordered the court expansion - http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact Mayor and all members of the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs - http://www.saratoga-springs.org/963/City-Council-Members http://www.saratoga-springs.org/963/City-Council-Members Assembly woman Carrie Woerner http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Carrie-Woerner/contact - http://nyassembly.gov/mem/Carrie-Woerner/contact Senator Kathy Marchione https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/kathleen-marchione/contact - https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/kathleen-marchione/contact Office of Court Administration for the Saratoga area http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/4jd/ - http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/4jd/ http://www.nycourts.gov/courts/4jd/ email: dcaj-alb(a)nycourts.gov mailto:dcaj-alb@nycourts.gov (address letter to the Honorable Michael V Coccoma, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge) Here are articles (and a petition) with some background info: Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-music-hall http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-the-music-hall Articles: http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20160608/saratoga-springs-music-hall… http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20160608/saratoga-springs-music-hall… http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Opposition-to-Music-Hall-renovation… http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Opposition-to-Music-Hall-renovation… The option to use the music hall space has gone to the Office of Court Administration. We need to act very quickly. Write and email to bring concern and attention to this. They did this before anyone knew what had happened! Go to the Save the Saratoga Music Hall facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/496927287168669/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/496927287168669/ to stay informed about what is happening and what you can to. We need everybody!