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 on October 1, 1936, is a famous American ballet dancer and choreographer. Many people consider him one of the best male ballet dancers in America during his time. He has received many important awards for his work, like the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Edward Villella started learning ballet at a young age. When he was ten, he joined the School of American Ballet. He also attended the High School of Performing Arts.
College and Sports
Before finishing his dance studies, Villella went to college. He studied at the New York Maritime Academy. While there, he was very active in sports. He played baseball and was also a champion boxer. In 1957, he earned a degree in marine science. After college, he returned to the School of American Ballet to continue his dance training.
Dancing Career
In 1957, Edward Villella joined the New York City Ballet. He quickly became a soloist in 1958. By 1960, he was a principal dancer, which is the highest rank. He continued dancing with the company until 1979.
Famous Performances
Villella was known for many amazing performances. Some of his most famous roles included Oberon in George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He also starred in Tarantella and Rubies from the ballet Jewels. Another important role was in Prodigal Son.
International Recognition
Edward Villella was the first American male dancer to perform with the Royal Danish Ballet. He was also the only American dancer ever asked to perform an encore at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. This shows how much his talent was admired around the world.
Performances for Presidents and TV
Villella danced for several U.S. Presidents. He performed at the inauguration for President John F. Kennedy. He also danced for Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and Ford.
He appeared on television many times. In 1975, he won an Emmy Award for his CBS TV show of Balanchine's Harlequinade. He danced in two different TV versions of The Nutcracker. He also appeared in a ballet film of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1966, he was in a TV production of Brigadoon.
During the 1960s, Villella and his dance partner Patricia McBride were very popular. They often appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1973, Villella was a guest star on the TV show The Odd Couple. He also appeared on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1983.
Leadership Roles
After he stopped performing as a dancer, Edward Villella took on leadership roles. From 1979 to 1984, he was the artistic coordinator for the Eglevsky Ballet. He also directed Ballet Oklahoma, which is now called Oklahoma City Ballet, from 1983 to 1985.
Since 1972, he has been an artistic advisor to 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 Achievements
Edward Villella has received many 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
- National Museum of Dance's Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, 2009
Personal Life
Edward Villella is married to Linda Carbonetto. She was an Olympic figure skater. They got married in April 1981 and have two daughters, Lauren and Crista. Edward Villella also has a son named Roddy from his first marriage to Janet Greschler. Janet Greschler was also a dancer with the New York City Ballet.
See also
In Spanish: Edward Villela para niños
