E. Virginia Williams

E. Virginia Williams (March 12, 1914 – May 8, 1984) was an American professional ballet choreographer, teacher, and founder of the New England Civic Ballet which became the Boston Ballet, the first professional ballet company in New England.

E. Virginia Williams
BornMarch 12, 1914
Salem, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedMay 8, 1984
Malden, Massachusetts
OccupationChoreographer
Known forAmerican professional ballet choreographer, teacher, and founder of the New England Civic Ballet which became the Boston Ballet, the first professional ballet company in New England.
Spouse(s)Herbert Hobbs; Carl Nelson
ChildrenCarla Davis
AwardsDance Magazine Award -1976

Early life

Born Ellen Virginia Williams in 1914 in Salem, Massachusetts, E. Virginia Williams spent her childhood in Melrose, MA. Her father is a descendant of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island, and her mother descended from settlers who landed on the boat after the Mayflower.[1][2][3]

To aid Williams in overcoming her shyness at a young age, her parents sent Williams to her first dance lesson at the age of 5.[2][3] Williams trained in many styles of dance, from ballet to modern, interpretive dance, and mime. She danced briefly with the Boston Opera company, however her father objected to her performing and Williams switched to teaching dance instead.[3]

Teaching

Williams began teaching ballet at the age of 16, and opened studios across Massachusetts including the Boston School of Ballet.[2]

Williams cited a reason for founding her ballet companies as wanting her greater Boston area students to be able to find jobs without having to move out of the area.[1][2]

In 1958 she founded the New England Civic Ballet. George Balanchine saw early company performances and acted as an artistic advisor to the company, recommending the company for a Ford Foundation grant that resulted with the founding of the Boston Ballet in 1963, the first professional ballet company in New England.[1][4][5]

Boston Ballet

Williams undertook many roles after founding the Boston Ballet company, from teaching classes to choreographing performances, sewing costumes, and taking tickets on show dates.[6]

The first Boston Ballet performance was June 29, 1964 at the Boston Arts Festival, an arts festival held in the Boston Public Garden.[7]

The Boston Ballet Company held their first season in 1965 with 20 dancers and approximately 30 musicians from the Boston Symphony.[8] Williams stressed contemporary composers and choreographers in the inaugural season.[8]

The second season in 1965-66 brought the first performance of The Nutcracker.[9]

Williams won the Dance Magazine Award in 1976, along with contemporaries Suzanne Farrell and Michael Bennett.[2][10]

Williams transferred directorship of the Boston Ballet to Violette Verdy in 1982. Williams served as an artistic advisor to the company while Verdy directed the company.[11]

Legacy

After Williams’ death on May 8, 1984, the Boston Ballet dedicated the May 17, 1984 World Premiere performance of Choo-San Goh’s Romeo and Juliet to her.[4]

The 25th anniversary celebration of the Boston Ballet company on March 11, 1989 honored Williams.[12]

Boston Ballet continues to honor female choreographers with their ChoreograpHER Initiative, a multiyear program established in 2018 to develop women as choreographers.[6][13]

References
  1. Temin, Christine (Apr 3, 1983). "E. Virginia Williams says it's time to step aside". Boston Globe. pp. A1.
  2. "E. Virginia Williams: The Woman Who Started Boston Ballet". Boston Ballet. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  3. Feeny, Mark (September 14, 2013). "Before Boston Ballet, there was E. Virginia Williams - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  4. Dunning, Jennifer (1984-05-09). "E. VIRGINIA WILLIAMS, TEACHER AND FOUNDER OF BOSTON BALLET". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  5. Temin, Christine (2009). Behind the Scenes at Boston Ballet. University Press of Florida. pp. xii. ISBN 978-0-8130-3353-2.
  6. "Meet the Female Trailblazers Who Shaped Boston Ballet". Boston Ballet. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  7. "The 1960s". Boston Ballet. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  8. Miller, Margo (Dec 17, 1964). "Three Programs: Boston Ballet Company Announces 1st Season". Boston Globe. p. 47.
  9. M., M. (Apr 6, 1965). "Second Season Planned: Boston Ballet Dances Concluding Program". Boston Globe. p. 32.
  10. Magazine, Dance (2022-12-19). "Dance Magazine Award Recipients". Dance Magazine. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  11. "The 1980s". Boston Ballet. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  12. Temin, Christine (March 1, 1989). "BOSTON BALLET'S ANNIVERSARY WALTZ". LIVING.
  13. Brown, Lillian (Nov 1, 2018). "Making the leap: Boston Ballet initiative aims to move women into the world of choreography, supporting and developing them on the way". Boston Globe. pp. B1.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.