Edward Villella Collection, 1990-1992
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Villella, Edward, 1936-
- Kaplan, Larry
- Hodgman, George (George Arnett) (1959-01-30-2019-07-20)
- Extent:
- 3 Hollinger Boxes
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Edward Villella Collection, Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Edward Villella Collection contains computer printouts as well as photocopies of pre-publication draft variances, some with handwritten editorial marks, of Villella's autobiography "Prodigal Son," published by Simon and Schuster in 1992. The collection also includes correspondence between the editors and the author, as well as handwritten notes.
- Biographical / historical:
Edward Villella is a second-generation Italian American born on October 1, 1936 in Queens, New York City to his parents Mildred and Joseph. He also has a sister, Carolyn.
Villella grew up in Bayside, Queens. When he was a boy, he played typical street games, but got injured. As a result, his mother took him to his sister's ballet classes as a way to be able to watch him. When his mother enrolled his sister in George Balanchine's School of American Ballet in Manhattan, Villella also began formal dance training at the School. Villella later attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. He then matriculated at State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College (formerly New York Maritime Academy). In 1957 he completed his studies there and earned his degree in marine science.
In the fall of 1957, Villella signed as a dancer in George Ballanchine's company, the New York City Ballet. In 1958 he became a soloist, and in 1960, a principal dancer. George Balanchine created feature roles for Villella in many of his ballets. Pivotal performances for which Villella is most known were for the ballets "Tarantella" and "Prodigal Son."
In 1962 Villella married another New York City Ballet dancer, Janet Greschsler. Together they had one son, Roddy, in 1969. They later divorced. In 1980, Villella married former figure skater Linda Carbonetto, who had a daughter, Lauren, by a previous marriage. Together they had a daughter, Crista.
In 1975, while dancing at the White House for President Gerald Ford, Villella incurred a hip injury that impeded his professional career. He formally remained a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet until 1979. Although he retired from dancing in ballets, Villella continued working in the dance industry. He taught and directed ballet at Eglevsky Ballet and other companies. In 1986, he became the founding artistic director of Miami City Ballet and served in that position until 2012. Villella continued the tradition of training dancers in the neoclassical discipline in the tradition of Balanchine. He incorporated Balanchine's ballets into The Miami City Ballet's repertoire during his tenure there.
Villella received an Emmy award for the 1975 CBS television production of Harlequinade. In 1997 he received a Kennedy Center honor as well as the National Medal of Arts. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009.
- Acquisition information:
- Edward Villella donated the materials to the Bienes Museum of the Modern Book via Michael Bienes on November 20, 1996 (Accession BIENES-1996.4).
- Processing information:
This collection received file level processing. This finding aid may be updated to reflect new descriptions as well as acquisitions to the collection.
- Arrangement:
The Edward Villella Collection is organized into five series: Series I. Original Version, Series II. First Edit, Series III. Second Edit, Series IV. Editorial Additions, and Series V. Galleys
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The Edward Villella Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
Access to collections in the Broward County Library Special Collections is not authorization to publish. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or the Broward County Library.
- Preferred citation:
Edward Villella Collection, Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library.
- Location of this collection:
-
Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library100 S. Andrews AvenueFort LauderdaleFL33301USA
