Remember Emile

“Dirty Dancing” was directed by Emile Ardolino, whose incisive talent for capturing dance in film was well known to the producers, and had earned him an Oscar for best documentary feature, a Directors Guild Award and three Emmys. Without Emile, “Dirty Dancing” probably would not have “stepped into history” as surely as it has. It’s disconcerting that Lewis Beale’s article (“ ‘Dirty Dancing’ Has Stepped Into History,” Dec. 28) failed to mention him.

Although lamentably brief, his career as a film director was active and rewarding. He went on to direct five other movies, among them “Sister Act” with Whoopi Goldberg, and “Gypsy” with Bette Midler. Emile Ardolino died in 1993. We had been life-partners for 19 years.

Luis M. Rodriguez-Villa

Los Angeles