Prodigal Son: Dancing for Balanchine in a World of Pain and Magic

by Edward Villella, Larry Kaplan (Contributor)

A leading advocate for the arts in America and recent recipient of the 1997 National Medal of the Arts, the 1997 Kennedy Center Honors, and the George Abbott Carbonell Award for Achievement, Edward Villella was recently inducted into the State of Florida Artist Hall of Fame.  Villella also received the Frances Holleman Breathitt Award for Excellence for his contributions to the arts and to education, the thirty-eighth annual Capezio Dance Award, and Award for Lifetime Achievement, becoming only the fourth dance personality to receive National Endowment for the Arts advisory artistic director of the Miami City Ballet, which has won worldwide acclaim under his direction.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1992

About the author

Edward Villella is an acclaimed American ballet dancer and choreographer, widely recognized as one of the greatest male dancers in American ballet history. He began training at the School of American Ballet at age ten and later joined the New York City Ballet, where he became a principal dancer. Renowned for his dynamic performances in roles like Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tarantella, and Prodigal Son, Villella also broke new ground internationally, becoming the first American male dancer to perform with the Royal Danish Ballet and the only American invited to encore at the Bolshoi Theatre. He won an Emmy Award for Harlequinade and appeared on numerous television productions. After retiring from performance, he held leadership roles at Eglevsky Ballet, Ballet Oklahoma, and served as the founding artistic director of Miami City Ballet until 2012. Villella has received many honors, including the Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts. He is married to former Olympian Linda Carbonetto and has three children.

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of you who aren’t aware, my son aspires to be a professional ballet dancer. He currently lives away from home much of the year to train, and as a parent, I try to learn as much about the ballet world as possible in order to understand what he’s talking about, and also to help him with decisions that would help his career.

That said, there aren’t that many books out there that talk about the world of a male ballet dancer. I was excited to run across Edward Villella’s autobiography. Villella was a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet while it was under the direction of George Balanchine. He joined the company when he was 20 years old and danced for 16 years until an injury forced him to stop performing. This was in 1972. Since that time, he has been active in the ballet world, giving lectures, teaching and also founded the Miami City Ballet, serving as artistic director until 2012.

I have read a few dance autobiographies now, and I think Villella’s is exceptional. Not only is does he share great stories of his time with Balanchine and the New York City Ballet, but he shares much valuable information on his growth as a dancer. I remember reading Li Cunxin’s book, Mao’s Last Dancer, when he talked about needing to build up his leg muscles in order to gain height with his jumps. This type of practical information is something every dancer, I’m sure, can relate to. Villella talks about the mechanics of the movement, and how to grow as a dancer by examining the movements in context with the music. He says he had literally no musicality when he began dancing. It’s this mature, almost scientific approach that helped him as a dancer, and it was also applied in terms of artistry and characterization. These things don’t necessarily come naturally to dancers – they must be studied and applied.

When Balanchine died, he bequeathed his works to his ex-wife and a few others. In the terms of the Balanchine trust, any company performing his works must hire a stager who is familiar with the work to teach the performers how the great choreographer intended it to be done. It’s the same principle here. These things must be taught, studied and applied.

There is so much valuable information in this book (not to mention a fascinating life story). I recommend it to anyone, but particularly those interested in dance, and dancers who aspire to professional careers.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an autobiography, an homage to Balanchine, and a love letter to the choreography and ballet style of George Balanchine. As a teen and young adult who scrapped together the cost of a ticket to see NYCB, and who spent the day claiming my seat in the front rows when Villella would come to dance in the park of my city, this book offered me an inside look at Villella’s life in the ballet world.
My first reaction as I started to read was that the book was not well written. It seemed like a stream of consciousness. Other dancers and names in and out of the dance world would be mentioned and then dropped with no additional information about them. Fortunately, I kept reading. The book jacket claims that personalities are revealed of some well known dancers. I disagree. There is some insight into the NYCB world behind the stage, but there is very little revealed about the others beyond how they may have interacted with Villella. I did not feel that I learned much about Jacques d’Amboise, Patricia McBride, Peter Martins, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Suzanne Farrell, etc. Arthur Mitchell’s name is mentioned, but nothing more.
Instead, this is Villella as he discovers ballet, and all his struggles to become a professional dancer and to improve as a dancer. And as teens and young adults experience those years, it is usual to be very unconscious of the life’s of others. Villella gives us all of himself as a dancer; all of his inner struggles and thoughts as he strived to become the best he could become, the physical tolls, the ambition, and life after his body failed him as a principal dancer. (less)

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fascinating to read the memoir of one of Balanchine's male dancers, since he focused so much on the women. Thankfully, most dancers today do not suffer from the kind of injuries and poor treatment that put Villella in pain for most of his career and also cut it short. His mother wanted her daughter to be the dancer and her son the college graduate and instead, Villella was the child with the talent for dancing. After a four year absence from dancing, Villella tried to come back by pushing and punishing his body. At times, Villella gives us too much information about his personal life, but his insights into dancing under Balanchine are fascinating. After retiring from the NYC Ballet, he went on to be the founding artistic director of the Miami City Ballet.

[Yamila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Edward Villella, Artistic Director and founder of Miami City Ballet. I started to read this book for two reasons. First, I love the ballet. Second, for the past 4 years I have been a season ticket subscriber of Miami City Ballet, and thus I am familiar with Edward Villella and his connection to the company. I really enjoyed this book because it is nicely written, it gives you some insight into the life of a ballet dancer in New York during the 1960's, and it tells Villella's inspirational story. This book inspires you to go after your dreams, no matter how difficult the obstacles may seem. Villella discovered his aptitude and passion for ballet by accident. At an early age, his mother enrolled him in ballet classes, along with his sister, as a way of getting him out of street fighting with the neighboring kids. By the time he finished high school, Edward knew he wanted to be a professional ballet dance, but his father was adamantly against it. Ironically, his mother wanted his sister to take the same path, but she hated ballet. In order to please his father, he renounced the ballet and got a 4 year degree from a maritime college. Right after he got his degree, he returned to New York City ballet, which was difficult after 4 years of not dancing. I admire Villella because he didn’t give up his dreams and overcame obstacles to become one of the best and internationally renowned ballet dancers. Also, I am quite grateful to him for working so tirelessly to give Miami its own ballet company, which I now enjoy tremendously.

[Ivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

FIRST LINE REVIEW: "Standing center stage at the New York City Ballet, I felt I had made a pact with the devil." Through all the anguish suffered by Villella to become and then try to sustain the reputation of America's greatest male ballet dancer, you would think a devil might be involved. I've had dinner with Eddie twice, so was very interested to read his autobiography. I learned alot about the dance world and him. I hope we can have dinner again. This book helped give me an even deeper appreciation of the man.

[Peter Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Co-written with Larry Kaplan, this autobiography of one of America's finest dancers is a MUST-read for dance lovers. The physical and emotional sacrifices made by Edward Villella during his career are easily the equal of those made by any of the better-known and better-paid professional athletes which our society exalts.

[Kathleen]

Excellent book about his dancing life with Balanchine, his own life and other ballet dancers. I knew nothing about him before reading this book and have a great deal of repect for him after reading it.

Well-written.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find ballet biographies completely gripping. As expected, I blazed through this one, though it became a little too pedagogical towards the end.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Ballet! I've read most of the bios of dancers from the Balanchine Golden Age of ballet. Wish I could find a clip of Villella's famous leap.

[Tuesday Mayhew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely inspirational and insightful for the ballet fan.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its nice to get a male perspective about dancing for Balanchine.

[Anne]

Although this reads like an “as-told-to” (because it is), it gives a very good look inside the world of the New York City Ballet and the details of Villella’s professional growth. This is a very different reminiscence than Gelsey Kirkland’s bitter expose. But then it seems to be the product of a more stable personality. Interesting points made about the potential for loss of artistry as technique becomes paramount in dancers’ training, and the unity of movement and music in 20th century neoclassical ballet as distinct from posing "en position."