David Nillo, 89; Dancer, Teacher, Charter Member of the ABT
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David Nillo, 89, a ballet dancer and teacher who was a charter member of the American Ballet Theatre, died Sept. 28 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a short illness.
A native of, Goldsboro, N.C., who spent part of his childhood in Baltimore, Nillo studied ballet in Chicago where he performed with the Page-Stone Ballet, the Graff Ballet and Page’s Federal Theater Project.
After he moved to New York City, he danced with the Ballet Caravan at the 1939 World’s Fair. Joining the American Ballet Theatre at its inception, Nillo created roles in Anton Dolin’s “Quintet” in 1940 and “Romantic Age” in 1942. He also was featured in key character roles, including the Blackamoor in “Petrouchka” and Alias in “Billy the Kid.”
Nillo later performed in nightclubs, cabarets and on early television with his own dance troupe. He was also a featured performer in the Broadway musical “Call Me Mister” from 1946 to 1948.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1976, and for 20 years was a volunteer dance and fitness instructor in Hollywood.
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