CATHY DOOLEY HAS RETIRED!

       TRIBUTE TO CATHY DOOLEY

           "THERE WILL NEVER BE
              ANOTHER LIKE HER!"
At the Follies Cast Party on 3-19-15, Cathy Dooley
announced her retirement after almost 60 years
of teaching dance, choreographing, directing and
producing. 

           During the 15 years as Producer, Director, Choreographer and Mother to "The Original Florida Follies", we observed how our organization grew under her tutelage.  Cathy's determination - along with her instinctive creativity - made The Follies one of its kind in Florida.   To top all of this,  many  Children-in-Need organizations became monetary  recipients of her generosity to the tune of over  $780,000!

           Fifty-eight years ago Cathy began her teaching career in a studio in Astoria, New York, from which nine of her students went on to become Radio City Rockettes.  After she came to Florida,  from 1990 through 2000, Cathy choreographed dance routines for the "Ziegfeld Girls of South Florida".   Some of the dancers encouraged Cathy to start her own Follies, and in 2001 their one show at Omni Auditorium featured 12 dancers, 5 showgirls, an MC and 2 assistants.  After word got around about Cathy and her troupe, the Follies' Omni show in 2002 had a full house!  Many new dancers, showgirls, models and acts and several venues were added over the years, but since 2009 audiences have flocked to three favorites: Omni, Olympic Heights Theater and Parker Playhouse.

          Because of all these accomplishments, she was invited as Guest of Honor at the 2014 Rockette Alumnae Association meeting in NYC and received a statuette for her outstanding teaching and directorial skills as well as for her humanitarianism. 

          Even though there have been team players helping her through the years, all this has been tremendous work for Cathy - physically, mentally and emotionally - and we understand her need to hand it over to those with younger vigor and energy.   We hate to see you go. . . . .but if you must. . . . . .
                         - TO OUR CATHY -
WE RAISE OUR GLASSES TO YOU AND
WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH, HAPPINESS
AND BLESSINGS IN YOUR NEW
LEISURE LIFE!  HIP,HIP,HOORAY!

 

     

CATHY DOOLEY HONORED AGAIN BY NYC ROCKETTES!

Cathy cutting her cake!

Michelle Koutsebelis, Cathy with former students, Shelley Offenther

 

 

Arlene Acker, Cathy, Sheila Phillips

Cathy Dooley Honored by Rockette Alumnae at Radio City Music Hall - June 22, 2014

 Cathy Dooley, an honorary Rockette, was the guest of honor at the Rockette Alumnae Association quarterly meeting held in NYC on June 22, 2014.  Upon her arrival at Radio City Music Hall Cathy was immediately whisked away for an interview with Hanna Meium, the RCMH archivist and present day Rockette.

 Cathy spoke about how 9 of her students went on to become Rockettes. The interview video will appear in the near future on the new Rockette Timeline historical web site http://www.rockettes.com/timeline.html?source=videos/2301245439 and on YouTube.

 After the interview Cathy attended the meeting and luncheon that had a large turnout of former Rockettes and members of the Alumnae Association. During the meeting some of Cathy’s former students who had gone on to become Rockettes got up and spoke about Cathy. They were called the Cathettes and they came from all over the country to honor Cathy. The Cathettes present were Katy Braff, Rosemary Posillico Noviello, Cookie Dutch Franzese, and Lucille Narr Saladino. They spoke about the type of teacher Cathy was. While kind, they said she was very demanding and tough on them, working them hard and encouraging them to be the best.    If you survived Cathy’s training, you were prepared to audition for the Rockettes. That’s why so many girls made the Rockettes.

Cathy spoke about how happy she was to be there. She discussed her background, the money donated to charities and how she is still very passionate about The Original Florida Follies and their mission.

After Cathy spoke, some of Barbara Anzalone’s students tap-danced to Liza Minelli’s “New York, New York” to salute Cathy. Sound familiar? The finale consisted of Arlene Acker and Sheila Phillips doing their rendition of “Rumor Has It”. As it had been staged for 10, the hoofers re-choreographed it for two dancers. The audience loved it, and Cathy was very proud and surprised as she had no idea that her dancers would be performing one of her works.

Patty DeCarlo Grantham, the President of the Association and organizer of the event, had a delicious cake (see photo) especially made for Cathy which everyone enjoyed!

 

 

 

ROCKETTE ALUMNAE AWARD TO CATHY DOOLEY!

Cathy Dooley, Founder of

The Original Florida Follies

holding her Award!

 

While teaching in her New York studio years ago,

many of Cathy Dooley's students became

Radio City Music Hall Rockettes!

We are proud to report that at the Hotel Riviera in

Miami Beach, The Radio City Music Hall Rockette

Alumnae Association presented Cathy with

a Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding work as a

Teacher, Director, Choreographer and Humanitarian!

 

THE FOLLIES MEMBERS ARE SO PROUD OF YOU, CATHY!