THE SPACE OF IDEAS

Welcome. I’m Darla Villani, a New York-based multidisciplinary artist and educator with thirty years of hands-on expertise.

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.

I offer process and project support, workshops and classes to curious minds of all levels of experience and expression.
It’s exciting to design workshops and facilitate pathways for you to experience new ways of discovering and creating your work.

YOUR WORK & MINE

 Sharing my knowledge and skill in tangible, actionable ways with you is part of my latest life’s work.
You can find me teaching and creating in university, study abroad, art intensive and studio environments.
You’ll find me on-site and online.

When we work together you can expect to deepen your own process and discover new ways to create and expand your work.
All workshops, classes and training can be customized and designed specifically for you.
I also offer Body Work on it’s own and combined with creative integrative practices.

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.