Verdy, Violette

Violette Verdy Photos

Violette Verdy Biography

Notable: Born 1933; New York City Ballet

Violette Verdy was born in Point-l’Abbé-Lambour, France, in 1933 (as Nelly Guillerm). Began her career in 1945 with the Ballets des Champs-Elysées, and later joined Roland Petit’s Ballets de Paris in 1950. She was a principal with the New York City Ballet from 1958 to 1977, where her partnership with Edward Villella in the Balanchine repertoire was very succesful.

She created roles in Le Loup 1953 (by Petit), in Episodes 1959, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux 1960, Liebeslieder Walzer 1960, Electronics 1961, A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1962, Jewels 1967, La Source 1968, Pulcinella 1972, Sonatine 1975 (all by Balanchine), and in Dances at a Gathering 1969 and In The Night 1970 (by Robbins).

She was director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1977 to 1980.