Bell, Joy Williams (1932-2017) Photographs, ca. 1930s-2010s
Collection held by the Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky
Creator: Bell, Joy Williams, 1932-2017
Title: Photographs, ca. 1930s-2010s
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for this collection, contact the Collections Department at gro.l1777440532aciro1777440532tsihn1777440532oslif1777440532@hcra1777440532eser1777440532.
Size of Collection: 1 cu. ft., 1 wrapped album
Location Number: 023PC4
Finding aid created by: Hannah Costelle
Date finding aid created: 12 February 2026
Date finding aid last updated: 12 February 2026
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains photographs related to the life and career of Louisville ballet dancer and dance instructor Joy Williams Bell.
Folders 1-10 contain images of Joy, including photographs of her modeling, competing in beauty pageants, dancing, and teaching dance.
Folders 11-16 contain images of classes and student productions at Joy’s dance studios.
Folders 17-24 contain images of Joy’s husband Donald Bell.
Folders 25-28 contain images of travel.
Folders 29-34 contain images of other individuals, including Joy’s parents and daughter.
Album 35 is a wrapped album containing photographs of the Louisville Civic Ballet rehearsing and performing at Iroquois Amphitheater in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
Related collections:
Bell, Joy Williams, 1932-2017. Papers, 1932-2019. [Mss. A B433b]
Biographical Note
Joy Williams Bell (born Ann Joyce Williams) was born on 2 August 1932 to Ruel Edwin Williams and Mary Lee Nantz in Louisville, Kentucky. She graduated from Fern Creek High School in 1950 and attended the University of Louisville from 1950 to 1954. At U of L, she was awarded the Woodcock Medal for high academic achievement. She was a beauty pageant winner and did some work as a model. In 1952, Bell won the title of Miss City Beautiful, a Louisville pageant, and became Miss Kentucky.
Bell danced with the Louisville Civic Ballet Company, performing the lead in many performances, including many at Iroquois Amphitheatre. In the 1980s and 1990s, she was a guest performer in many Louisville Ballet productions, with roles including the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet.
Bell was also a dance instructor. She operated or worked at several dance studios and companies throughout her life, including:
- The Joy Williams School of Dance
- Operated 1951-1954
- The Joy Williams Dance Studio
- Located at 2815 Bardstown Road
- Operated June 1955-May 1972
- Ballet East Studio
- Located at 906 Dupont Road
- First dance concert March 1972; operated July 1973-1985
- Joy Williams Ballet Company
- Operated 1961-1967
She married Donald Maclean Bell (1931-2017) on 26 December 1960. They had one daughter, Wendy (ca. 1960-1975), who died about age 15. Bell died on 3 January 2017.
Folder List
Box 1
Joy Williams Bell
Folder 1: Joy as a young girl, ca. 1930s
Folder 2: Joy at Fern Creek High School, 1946-1950
Folder 3: Studio portraits of Joy, ca. 1950s
Folder 4: Joy early dance photos, ca. 1930s-1950s
Folder 5: Joy at parents’ home, 2169 Emerson Avenue, ca. 1950s
Folder 6: Joy modeling, ca. 1950s
Folder 7: Joy in beauty pageants, ca. 1950s
Folder 8: Joy as dance instructor, ca. 1950s-1990s
Folder 9: Joy candids, 1950s-2010s
Folder 10: Joy in costume for Louisville Ballet productions, ca. 1980s-1990s
Dance Studios
Folder 11: Joy Williams Dance Studio class album, Dec. 1955
Folder 12: Joy Williams Dance Studio building (2815 Bardstown Road), ca. 1955
Folder 13: Ballet East Studio classes and productions (removed from album), ca. 1970s
Folder 14: Ballet East Studio classes, ca. 1970s
Folder 15: Ballet student productions (removed from album), ca. 1960s-1970s
Folder 16: Ballet student classes, rehearsals, and backstage (removed from album), ca. 1960s-1990s
Donald Bell
Folder 17: Donald Bell as a young boy with family (removed from album), ca. 1930s-1940s
Folder 18: Donald Bell, ca. 1930s-1950s
Folder 19: Donald Ball, ca. 1970s-2000s
Folder 20: Donald Bell in the military, ca. 1950s
Folder 21: Joy and Donald, ca. 1960s-2010s
Folder 22: Joy and Donald and various family members/friends, 1980s, 1996
Folder 23: Joy and Donald and various family members/friends, 2007-2008
Album 24: 40th wedding anniversary party at Louisville Boat Club, 26 Dec. 1999
Travel
Folder 25: Travel and family scrapbook pages, ca. 1940s-1950s
Folder 26: Washington, D.C., ca. 1950s
Folder 27: Gatlinburg, Tennessee, travel scrapbook, 1957
Folder 28: Egypt trip, ca. 2000s
Others
Folder 29: Wendy Bell, ca. 1960s
Folder 30: Williams family, ca. 1890s-1930s
Folder 31: Williams family, ca. 1930s
Folder 32: Ruel Edwin Williams (1907-1994) and Mary Lee Nantz Williams (1905-1988), ca. 1940s-1980s
Folder 33: Other dancers in costume for Louisville Ballet productions, ca. 1980s-1990s
Folder 34: Unidentified, c. 1950s-1990s
Album 35: Louisville Civic Ballet at Iroquois Amphitheater, 1948-1951