Edward Villella (born October 1, 1936, Bayside), New York, is a danseur and choreographer, frequently cited as America's most celebrated male dancer of ballet at the time. Villella was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2007.
School of American Ballet, State University of New York Maritime College
Nationality
American
Awards
Kennedy Center Honors, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Entertainment Special
Movies
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Star Sign
Libra
#
Quote
1
(On his relationship with George Balanchine): "All I wanted to do was please him. But I was not willing to destroy myself in order to do so."
2
I thought, 'Hey. I'm an athlete. I'm physical--that's all I need. You jump up and down, you grab the girls, you pick 'em up, you put 'em down, that's all there is to it.'
3
I have nine broken toes, stress fractures in both legs, I have a knee that can't be operated on again, two artificial hips, a bad back, and a bad neck. None of that from that sissy stuff--from baseball and boxing--but from this other thing [Ballet].
4
I graduated with my BS. I gave it to my father and told him I was going to become a ballet dancer again. He stopped talking to me for a year. Ah, well. Anyway, I dive into this thing called classical ballet. What did I have going into it? I had all the physicality I needed. I could jump. I could do tricks. Hey no problem. I was a boxer, a baseball player.
Founder and Artistic Director of The Miami City Ballet [January 2006]
3
He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 1997 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C.
4
The recipient of numerous awards, including the 38th annual Capezio Dance Award; the Frances Holleman Breathitt Award for Excellence, for his outstanding contribution to the arts and to the education of young people; the National Society of Arts & Letters Award for Lifetime Achievement (becoming only the fourth dance personality to receive the Gold Medal); the Dance Magazine Award (1964); the Cultural Service Award from the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts (1998), and the George C. Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts, presented by the South Florida Critics Association (1997). He has been awarded honorary degrees by the State University of New York, University of South Carolina, St. Thomas University, Siena College, Fordham University, Skidmore College, Nazareth College, Florida Atlantic University where he actually serves as Artist in Residence and Union College, which established the Edward Villella Fellowship in 1991, with the first Fellowship awarded in May, 1996.
5
One of the most famous former dancers of the New York City Ballet.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Great Performances: Dance in America
1977
TV Series
NBC Special Treat
1976
TV Series
John Brooke
The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People
1974
TV Series
Harlequin
Pulcinella
1973/II
Short
Pulcinella
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1967
Oberon
Brigadoon
1966
TV Movie
Harry Beaton
The Nutcracker
1964
TV Movie
The Nutcracker
The Prince
The Flood
1962
TV Movie
Satan
The Bell Telephone Hour
1961
TV Series
Nutcracker
Prince
Romanticism in Music
1961
TV Movie
Dancer soloist
Playhouse 90
1958
TV Series
Candy Cane (Trepak)
Guiding Light
1952
TV Series
Eddie (1983)
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Brigadoon
1966
TV Movie performer: "The Sword Dance"
The Bell Telephone Hour
1961
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People
1974
TV Series executive producer - 1 episode
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Carousel
1967
TV Movie choreographer
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Suzanne Farrell: Elusive Muse
1996
Documentary special thanks: Miami City Ballet
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dinah!
1975
TV Series
Himself
The 1975 Annual Entertainment Hall of Fame Awards
1975
TV Special
Himself
The Carol Burnett Show
1969-1973
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself
The Odd Couple
1973
TV Series
Himself
The Ed Sullivan Show
1966-1970
TV Series
Himself
The Hollywood Palace
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Kraft Music Hall
1969
TV Series
Himself
The Bell Telephone Hour
1961-1968
TV Series
Himself - Ballet Dancer / Himself
Fanfare
1965
TV Series
Himself - Ballet Dancer
Omnibus
1958-1961
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Solo Dancer
National Endowment for the Arts: United States of Arts
2016
TV Series documentary short
Himself - Former Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet
Mia, a Dancer's Journey
2014
TV Movie documentary
Himself
So You Think You Can Dance
2010
TV Series
Himself
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
2000
TV Special documentary
Himself
Balanchine Lives!
1998
TV Movie documentary
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
1997
TV Special
Himself - Honoree
Baryshnikov at the White House
1979
TV Movie
Himself - Host
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
1978
TV Movie
Himself
The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1971-1976
TV Series
Himself - Ballet Dancer / Himself - Choreographer / Himself - Ballet Daner
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
So You Think You Can Dance
2010
TV Series
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1975
Daytime Emmy
Daytime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Entertainment - Children's Special
The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People (1973)
Known for movies
Guiding Light (1952) as Eddie (1983)
Brigadoon (1966) as Harry Beaton
The Nutcracker (1964) as The Nutcracker / The Prince
$300,000
