Graciela Daniele (born December 8, 1939) is an

Argentine Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

dancer, choreographer, and theatre director.

Biography

Born in

Buenos Aires, Argentina Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South A ...

to Raúl Daniele and Rosa del Carmen Almoina. After her parents divorced, her mother got a job as a secretary for the Argentinian government. Later, her mother became an actress. Daniele began her dance training at the age of seven at Teatro Colón,

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...

's equivalent of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

Bolshoi Theatre The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...

. She later moved to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

to continue her

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...

studies, and while living there attended a performance of ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

'', with

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

's original choreography. Overwhelmed by the way dance was an integral part of the story-telling, she decided to move to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to study jazz and modern dance, styles she felt were best for expressing human emotions on stage. As a performer, Daniele made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in '' What Makes Sammy Run?'' in 1964. She studied with

Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She ...

and

Merce Cunningham Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other discipl ...

while working with

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals ''The Pajam ...

Agnes de Mille Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer. Early years Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...

, and Michael Bennett, who hired her to assist him with ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Fol ...

'' in 1971. Her first credit as a full-fledged choreographer was the 1979 revival of '' The Most Happy Fella''. Daniele has worked with

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

on three films, '' Mighty Aphrodite'', '' Everyone Says I Love You'', and ''

Bullets over Broadway ''Bullets Over Broadway'' is a 1994 American black comedy crime film directed by Woody Allen, written by Allen and Douglas McGrath and starring an ensemble cast including John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, Chazz Palminteri and Jennifer Tilly. The fil ...

''. In addition to her work in New York City, where she has choreographed for

Ballet Hispanico Ballet Hispánico is an American dance company based in Manhattan, New York. It was founded by the Puerto Rican-Mexican-American dancer and choreographer Tina Ramirez in 1970 and presents dances reflecting the experience of Hispanic and Latino A ...

and served as a director-in-residence at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

, Daniele has directed and/or choreographed theatrical,

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

, and dance productions throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. She has directed and/or choreographed several musicals of

Lynn Ahrens Lynn Ahrens (born October 1, 1948) is an American writer and lyricist for the musical theatre, television and film. She has collaborated with Stephen Flaherty for many years. She won the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle ...

and Stephen Flaherty, including, most recently, ''

The Glorious Ones ''The Glorious Ones'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Set in 17th-century Italy, it concerns a theatre group in the world of commedia dell'arte and theatre of the Italian Renaissance. After premier ...

'' (2007) and ''

Dessa Rose ''Dessa Rose'' is a novel by Sherley Anne Williams published in 1986 by HarperCollins. The book is a neo-slave narrative, incorporating many elements of traditional slave narratives. The book is divided into three sections: "The Darky", "The ...

'' (2005) at the

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at

. She has directed and/or choreographed several musicals of

Michael John LaChiusa Michael John LaChiusa (born July 24, 1962) is an American musical theatre and opera composer, lyricist, and librettist. He is best known for musically esoteric shows such as '' Hello Again'', '' Marie Christine'', '' The Wild Party'', and ''Se ...

Off-Broadway, most recently ''

Bernarda Alba ''The House of Bernarda Alba'' ( es, La casa de Bernarda Alba) is a play by the Spanish dramatist Federico García Lorca. Commentators have often grouped it with ''Blood Wedding'' and ''Yerma'' as a "rural trilogy". Garcia Lorca did not incl ...

'' (2006) and '' Little Fish '' (2003). In 1991, she was the first to direct William Finn's two one-act musicals '' March of the Falsettos'' and '' Falsettoland'' as one evening of theater, for the Hartford Stage Company. This combination went on to become the musical ''

Falsettos ''Falsettos'' is a sung-through musical with a book by William Finn and James Lapine, and music and lyrics by Finn. The musical consists of '' March of the Falsettos'' (1981) and '' Falsettoland'' (1990), the last two installments in a trio o ...

''. In 2005, Daniele was inducted into the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

Additional Broadway credits

*2015: '' The Visit'' (Choreographer) *2007: '' The Pirate Queen'' (Musical Staging) *2005: ''

Chita Rivera Chita Rivera (born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero Anderson; January 23, 1933), is an American actress, singer and dancer best known for originating roles in Broadway musicals including Anita in ''West Side Story'', Velma Kelly in ''Chic ...

: The Dancer's Life'' (Director and Choreographer) *2004: ''

Barbara Cook Barbara Cook (October 25, 1927 – August 8, 2017) was an American actress and singer who first came to prominence in the 1950s as the lead in the original Broadway musicals '' Plain and Fancy'' (1955), ''Candide'' (1956) and ''The Music Man'' ( ...

's Broadway!'' (Creative Consultant) *2002: ''

Elaine Stritch Elaine Stritch (February 2, 1925 – July 17, 2014) was an American actress, best known for her work on Broadway and later, television. She made her professional stage debut in 1944 and appeared in numerous stage plays, musicals, feature films a ...

At Liberty'' (Movement Consultant) *1999: '' Marie Christine'' (Director and Choreographer) *1999: '' Annie Get Your Gun'' (Director and Choreographer) *1998: ''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

'' (Choreographer) *1995: ''

Chronicle of a Death Foretold ''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'' ( es, Crónica de una muerte anunciada) is a novella by Gabriel García Márquez, published in 1981. It tells, in the form of a pseudo- journalistic reconstruction, the story of the murder of Santiago Nasar by ...

'' (Director, Choreographer, and Writer) *1993: '' The Goodbye Girl'' (Choreographer) *1990: '' Once on This Island'' (Director and Choreographer) *1985: ''

The Mystery of Edwin Drood ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870. Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...

'' (Choreographer) *1984: '' The Rink'' (Choreographer) *1983: '' Zorba'' (Choreographer) *1981: ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...

'' (Choreographer) *1978: '' Working'' (Additional Spanish lyrics) *1978: ''A History of the American Film'' (Musical Staging) *1975: ''

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

'' (Performer) *1971: ''

'' (Performer) *1969: '' Coco'' (Performer) *1968: '' Promises, Promises'' (Performer) *1968: '' Here's Where I Belong'' (Performer)

Award nominations

*2020 Special

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre *2006

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...

for Outstanding Choreography (''Bernarda Alba'') *1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''A New Brain'') *1998

for Best Choreography (''Ragtime'') *1998 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (''Ragtime'') *1996 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical (''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'') *1996 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'') *1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book (''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'') *1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'') *1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'') *1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (''Hello Again'') *1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''Hello Again'') *1993 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''The Goodbye Girl'') *1991 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''Once on This Island'') *1991 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (''Once on This Island'') *1990 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''Dangerous Games'') *1986 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'') *1984 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''The Rink'') *1981 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''The Pirates of Penzance'') *1981 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (''The Pirates of Penzance'')

References

Sources

''Dance Magazine "Faces in Dance: Graciela Daniele", by Rose Eichenbaum, September 1999
playbill interview

External links

* *
American Theatre Wing biography and interviewbroadwayworld.com Tony Award listing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daniele, Graciela 1939 births American choreographers American musical theatre directors Broadway composers and lyricists Broadway theatre directors American female dancers American dancers Argentine choreographers Argentine musical theatre directors Living people People from Buenos Aires Artists from New York City Argentine emigrants to the United States Argentine musical theatre female dancers Argentine musical theatre choreographers 21st-century Argentine dancers 20th-century Argentine dancers Dancers from New York (state) 21st-century American women