THE SPACE OF IDEAS

Welcome. I’m Darla Villani, an award winning New York-based interdisciplinary artist, educator and your trusted collaborator.

Notable collaborations include Bill T. Jones and invitations by Robert Wilson. Highlighted awards include a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in Choreography and a MacDowell Residency Fellowship for Interdisciplinary Research.

COLLABORATING WITH CREATIVE HUMANS

I offer creative support, workshops and classes to curious minds of all levels of experience and expression.

When we work together you can expect to deepen your own process and discover new ways to create and expand your work. I’ll design and facilitate pathways, prompts and frameworks customized for you for where you are right now.

I’ll provide support and systems to maintain and sustain yourself as a creative human.

As all work is body based, somatic practices may also be integrated to regulate, sharpen and encourage the flow.

You’ll find me teaching and creating in university, study abroad, art intensive and studio environments, on-site and online.

EXPERIENCE

I began as a painter at the Art Institute of Boston and Massachusetts College of Art. After receiving a B.F.A, exhibiting work and teaching, in mid swing I followed a deep desire to purse dance and choreography for three summers at Harvard’s Dance Program. Soon after NEA grants, residencies, and commission followed. Highlights include a Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography. My dance work as a soloist has been shown at The Joyce Theatre, Dance Theatre Workshop, The Kitchen and International venues.

Career highlights include an invitation from Bill T. Jones to collaborate in the creation and performance of a premiere work for his company called, Ursonate. I was the first collaborator invited into the company since his partner, the late Arnie Zane.

Robert Wilson has also extended several invitations to participate in the development of new projects at the Watermill Center including Death,Destruction in Detroit III, Barcelona Point, and notably working with Dominque Sanda on Wilson’s adaption of The Lady From The Sea.

MacDowell invited me as a resident artist for an Interdisciplinary Research Fellowship to draft WILDLIFE, a book.
WILDLIFE was listed as finalist for the 2019 Zone 3 Press Creative Non-Fiction Book Award.

Working with creative minds of all kinds is my life’s latest work.
I’m dedicated to partnering with curious minds of all levels of experience and expression.
Let’s work together, find me here.