Verdy, Violette (1931–)

views updated

Verdy, Violette (1931–)

French ballet dancer. Born Nelly Guillerm, Dec 1, 1931, in Pont-l'Abbé-Lambour, France.

Trained with Carlotta Zambelli and Victor Gsovsky in Paris; danced under name Guillerm with Ballets des Champs-Elysées, creating roles for Roland Petit's Les Forains (1945), Rendez-Vous (1945), and Triste Dances (1947), and David Lichine's Orpheus (1948); joined American Ballet Theater in NY—as Violette Verdy—and danced principal roles in Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Les Sylphides, Cullberg's Miss Julie and Tudor's Gala Performance, among others; danced with New York City Ballet (late 1950s) and was acclaimed for performances in Balanchine's Symphony in C, Orpheus, Allegro Brillante, Stars and Stripes, and others; created numerous roles for Balanchine throughout career, including in Episodes (1959), The Figure in the Carpet (1960), Jewels (1967) and Glinkiana (1967); returned to France and served as director of Paris Opéra Ballet (1977–80); worked as co-artistic director of Boston Ballet in Massachusetts.

More From encyclopedia.com