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PA Writer, Arts Advocate Dies At 51, Remembered For 'Brilliant Mind'
Matthew “Dutch” Rooney, a beloved writer, arts patron, and longtime supporter of ballet and opera, died Friday, Aug. 15, at his home in East Hampton. He was 51.
Rooney was born Nov. 11, 1973, in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, the son of JoAnn (Wallace) Rooney and the late John Rooney, according to his obituary.
He attended Gwynedd Mercy Academy and The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and a Master’s from Columbia University, where he won several writing awards.
Rooney was active in New York’s arts community. He serv…
Ashley Bouder, PA Trained Ballerina, Bids Farewell To Nycb After 25 Iconic Years
Ashley Bouder, the powerhouse of poise and precision, is taking her final bow at the New York City Ballet (NYCB) on February 13, 2025, closing out a dazzling 25-year career, including two decades as a principal dancer.
A Carlisle, Pennsylvania native, Bouder’s ballet journey began at age six at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) under Marcia Dale Weary. “I was truly a barn baby,” she reminisced, sharing childhood memories of sneaking A&W root beer from the 50¢ soda machine and clinging to her favorite barre spot—one she still favors at NYCB. Her mother, also a CPYB alum, passed…
