Edward Villella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Villella
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Villella in 1997
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| Born | October 1, 1936 New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Ballet dancer, Choreographer |
Edward Villella (born October 1, 1936) is a famous American ballet dancer and choreographer. Many people consider him one of America's most celebrated male ballet dancers of his time. He has received many important awards, like the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the National Medal of Arts.
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Early Life and Education
Edward Villella started learning ballet at the School of American Ballet when he was ten years old. He also attended the High School of Performing Arts. However, he paused his dance studies to go to college.
He went to the New York Maritime Academy. There, he was very active in sports, playing baseball and becoming a champion boxer. He earned a degree in marine science in 1957. After finishing college, he returned to the School of American Ballet to continue his dance training.
Amazing Dance Career
Villella joined the New York City Ballet in 1957. He quickly moved up, becoming a soloist in 1958 and a principal dancer in 1960. He performed with the company until 1979.
He was known for his incredible performances in many ballets. Some of his most famous roles included Oberon in George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He also shined in Tarantella, Rubies from the ballet Jewels, and Prodigal Son.
Edward Villella made history as the first American male dancer to perform with the Royal Danish Ballet. He was also the only American dancer ever asked to do an encore (an extra performance) at the famous Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. He even danced for several U.S. Presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford.
In 1975, he won an Emmy Award for his TV production of Balanchine's Harlequinade on CBS. He also appeared in two different TV versions of The Nutcracker and a ballet film of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1966, he was in a TV show called Brigadoon.
During the 1960s, Villella and his dance partner Patricia McBride were very popular. They often appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1973, he played himself in an episode of The Odd Couple. His son, Roddy, also appeared in that episode.
Leading Dance Companies
After he stopped performing as a dancer, Villella took on leadership roles. He was the artistic coordinator for the Eglevsky Ballet from 1979 to 1984. He also directed Ballet Oklahoma (now Oklahoma City Ballet) from 1983 to 1985.
Since 1972, he has been an artistic advisor to the New Jersey Ballet. He is also a special artist at the New Jersey School of Ballet. In 1985, he became the founding artistic director of Miami City Ballet. He held this important position until 2012.
Awards and Special Honors
Edward Villella has received many awards and honors for his contributions to dance:
- American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award, 1971
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special for "Harlequinade", 1975
- Kennedy Center Honoree, 1997
- National Medal of Arts, 1997
- Named the Dorothy F. Schmidt artist-in-residence at Florida Atlantic University, 2000
- Florida Artists Hall of Fame, 2007
- Inducted into the National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, 2009
Personal Life
Edward Villella is married to Linda Carbonetto, who was an Olympic figure skater. They got married in April 1981 and have two daughters named Lauren and Crista. Edward also has a son named Roddy from his first marriage to Janet Greschler, who was also a New York City Ballet dancer.
See also
In Spanish: Edward Villela para niños
