Amy Arnaz had every reason to lean into the glamour. She married Desi Arnaz Jr., son of one of the most iconic couples in television history Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. She attended their wedding. She was welcomed into a family that millions of Americans adored.
But Amy did not move to Beverly Hills and live for the cameras. She moved to a small town in Nevada, opened a dance studio, taught children to love ballet, rescued orphaned elephants, wrote children’s books, and built a life that was entirely, beautifully her own.
When she died in January 2015 at the age of 63, the people who came to honor her did not carry autograph books. They carried pink balloons. And they filled the sky with them. That tells you everything about who Amy Arnaz really was.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Amy Laura Bargiel (later Amy Arnaz) |
| Date of Birth | September 12, 1951 |
| Place of Birth | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Charles Bargiel and Libby Kral Bargiel |
| Siblings | Tom Bargiel (brother), Lisa Bargiel (sister) |
| Education | San Diego State University |
| Ballet Training | Dame Sonia Arova, San Diego Ballet Company |
| First Husband | Gary Frederick Charf (married 1975, divorced 1979) |
| Second Husband | Desi Arnaz Jr. (married October 8, 1987) |
| Daughter | Haley Arnaz (born December 17, 1976) |
| Career | Dancer, ballet teacher, studio founder, children’s author |
| Founded | Dance Etc., Boulder City Ballet Company |
| Owned | Boulder Theatre, Boulder City, Nevada |
| Date of Death | January 23, 2015 |
| Cause of Death | Brain cancer |
| Age at Death | 63 |
Who Was Amy Arnaz?
Amy Arnaz was an American ballet dancer, dance educator, children’s author, and arts advocate.
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She spent the most meaningful years of her life in Boulder City, Nevada a small, close-knit community near Las Vegas where she founded two arts institutions and taught thousands of students over the course of her career.
She was also the wife of Desi Arnaz Jr. and the daughter-in-law of the legendary Lucille Ball. But she never made those connections the center of her identity. She was Miss Amy first. Everything else came after.
Early Life and Background
Amy Laura Bargiel was born on September 12, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Charles Bargiel and Libby Kral Bargiel, and she grew up alongside her brother Tom and sister Lisa.
Chicago in the 1950s was a city of neighborhoods, working-class energy, deep family ties, and a strong sense of community. Amy grew up in that world, and the values it instilled never left her. She was warm, grounded, and deeply communal throughout her entire adult life.
From a young age, Amy was drawn to dance. It was not just a hobby for her. It was a language. The discipline, the physical expression, the connection between music and movement all of it resonated with her in a way that pointed clearly toward a future in the art form.
Education and Ballet Training
Amy attended San Diego State University, where she pursued serious training in dance. It was there that she studied under Dame Sonia Arova, a world-class ballet figure who had danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and the American Ballet Theatre.
Training under Dame Sonia Arova was not a casual experience. It meant exposure to the highest professional standards in classical ballet technique, artistry, musicality, and the discipline that separates good dancers from great ones.
Amy also trained with Christina Carson, another respected figure in the ballet world. By the time she completed her education and formal training, she was a technically accomplished classical dancer ready for a professional career.
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Miss Nevada Pageant — 1970
One lesser-known chapter of Amy’s early life is her appearance in the Miss Nevada competition in 1970, where she competed as Miss Las Vegas.
It is a small detail, but a telling one. Amy was clearly a young woman of considerable poise and presence. The pageant circuit in that era was a legitimate platform for talented women, and the fact that she competed and represented Las Vegas reflects the kind of confidence and stage readiness she had already developed by her late teens.
It also adds a dimension of early glamour to a story that would later become defined by quiet, community-centered dedication.
Professional Dancing Career
After completing her training, Amy moved to Las Vegas and joined the Nevada Dance Theatre as a principal dancer. She held that position for ten years.
Being a principal dancer at a professional ballet company is a serious career achievement. It requires years of rigorous training, physical dedication, and the ability to perform leading roles at a consistently high level. Amy had all of it.
Under the direction of choreographer Vassili Sulich, she developed as both a performer and an artist during her time at the Nevada Dance Theatre. Those ten years gave her a professional foundation that she would later channel into teaching and institution building.
She also taught ballet at the University of Nevada, extending her influence from the stage into the classroom.
First Marriage — Gary Frederick Charf
In September 1975, Amy married Gary Frederick Charf-Wilkinson. The two met through the New Life Foundation, a non-profit organization offering spiritual self-development programs based on the writings of author Vernon Howard.
On December 17, 1976, the couple welcomed a daughter Haley Amber Charf.
The marriage did not last. Amy and Gary divorced on May 11, 1979, when Haley was just two years old. Amy moved with her daughter to Boulder City, Nevada, that same year, beginning a new chapter far from the city life she had known.
She arrived in Boulder City in 1979 as a single mother, a trained professional dancer, and a woman ready to build something of her own.
Building a New Life in Boulder City
Boulder City is not a glamorous place. It is a quiet town on the edge of the Mojave Desert, built to house workers who constructed the Hoover Dam, and known today for its historic downtown, its community spirit, and its deliberate simplicity.
Amy loved it immediately. She put down roots, connected with the community, and within a short time, she had opened her first dance studio.
In 1979, she founded Dance Etc. a dance studio that would become one of the most beloved institutions in Boulder City history. Students and families called it the “little pink studio.” It was small, welcoming, and entirely dedicated to building a genuine love of dance in young people. Amy ran Dance Etc. until she retired from the studio in 2006 a run of over twenty-five years.
Meeting Desi Arnaz Jr.
Around the late 1970s and early 1980s, Amy met Desi Arnaz Jr. through the New Life Foundation. Desi had begun attending Vernon Howard’s lectures in Boulder City around 1978, drawn to the same spiritual community that had already become central to Amy’s life.
Their connection grew slowly. Desi was by then a recognizable name the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, a former teen heartthrob who had dated Liza Minnelli and Patty Duke and appeared in dozens of films and television shows. He had also been previously married to actress Linda Purl in 1979, a marriage that ended after just months.
But when Amy and Desi found each other, neither was looking for drama or headlines. They were both drawn to the same spiritual values, the same quiet way of living, the same love of art and community.
They dated for several years before deciding to marry. By the time they did, they knew each other deeply.
Marriage to Desi Arnaz Jr.
Amy and Desi married on October 8, 1987, in a ceremony officiated by Guy Finley, a minister associated with the New Life Foundation who was also a close friend of both of them.
Approximately 150 guests attended the wedding. Among them were Lucille Ball and her husband Gary Morton, and Desi’s sister Lucie Arnaz. It was a warm, personal celebration not a Hollywood production.
After the wedding, Desi legally adopted Haley. She took the Arnaz name and, through that adoption, became the granddaughter of one of the most celebrated women in American entertainment history.
For the first years of their marriage, Amy and Desi split time between Beverly Hills, California and Boulder City, Nevada. Eventually, Boulder City won. They settled there permanently, and it became the center of everything they built together.
Their marriage lasted nearly 28 years, until Amy died in 2015.
The Boulder City Ballet Company and the Boulder Theatre
Amy’s professional ambitions in Boulder City did not stop with Dance Etc. She and Desi dreamed bigger.
Together, they purchased and fully restored the Historic Boulder Theatre a beloved but deteriorating landmark in downtown Boulder City. The renovation was a significant undertaking and a genuine act of civic commitment. They transformed it into a thriving performance venue and made it the permanent home of the Boulder City Ballet Company, which Amy co-founded and directed.
The Boulder City Ballet Company gave Amy’s students a real stage. Productions of The Nutcracker became annual community events. Haley herself performed in those productions, playing roles like Clara and the Princess in the Land of Sweets. The theater became the heart of Boulder City’s arts scene, and Amy was at the center of it.
As a Teacher — “Miss Amy”
To the hundreds of students who came through her studio over the decades, Amy was not Mrs. Arnaz or the wife of a famous actor. She was Miss Amy.
That title meant everything. It was given with genuine affection by children who curtsied when they saw her not just in the studio, but in grocery stores, in church, on the street. The gesture became a small community tradition, a quiet acknowledgment of how much she meant to them.
Amy’s approach to teaching was meticulous and deeply personal. She cared about every detail of a performance the costumes, the lighting, the music, the positioning of each dancer. She watched closely and offered corrections with care, never wanting to diminish a student’s confidence, always wanting to elevate it.
Some students stayed with her for 20 years. One former student, Jayme Server, went on to become a professional dancer at Disneyland, and she credited Amy directly with giving her the foundation and the belief she needed.
Children’s Books — The Little Haley Stories
Amy’s creativity extended beyond the studio. She was also a writer.
Together with her friend Ellen Dickstein, she created a trilogy of semi-biographical children’s books called the Little Haley Stories. Each book was inspired by real events from Haley’s life as a young ballet dancer.
The three titles were:
- The Magic Tutu
- Juliana Cuddles
- Clara’s Nutcracker
The books were charming, gentle, and genuinely useful they made ballet accessible and emotionally resonant for young readers. The cover art was created by three of Amy’s own dance students: Amy Eschner, Brynlee Campbell, and Lauren Cluver. The books included family photos and images from the Boulder City Ballet Company.
They were not bestsellers. They were something better, deeply personal works that captured a real childhood and gave it back as story.
Animal Activism
Amy had another passion that many people outside Boulder City never knew about.
She and Desi were committed animal advocates. Together, they supported efforts to rescue and care for orphaned baby elephants, animals left without mothers because of the ivory trade. It was quiet activism, done without press releases or fundraising galas. It was simply something they believed in and gave their time and resources to.
Awards and Recognition
Amy’s work in the Boulder City community earned her real recognition.
She received the Spirit of Nevada Award, a distinction honoring individuals who make meaningful contributions to the culture and community of the state. Her work with children through dance was also recognized formally by the 109th United States Congress a rare and meaningful acknowledgment of the impact she had made at a local level.
These awards were not given to the wife of a famous name. They were given to Miss Amy, the dance teacher from the little pink studio on Nevada Street.
Illness and Final Years
In January 2013, Amy was diagnosed with brain cancer.
She faced the diagnosis with characteristic courage. She underwent surgery to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. She also tried complementary treatments, including acupuncture and meditation. Throughout the ordeal, she remained connected to her faith and to the people who loved her.
She wrote on her blog during her illness: “I have been blessed with so much love and support from my family and friends that I feel I can get through anything. I am determined to beat this thing and live a long and healthy life.”
Her condition worsened over time. On January 23, 2015, Amy passed away at her home in Boulder City. She was 63 years old. She was surrounded by Desi, Haley, her sister Lisa, her brother Tom, and other family members.
Her obituary described her simply and truly: “a loving wife, mother, friend to all, and an extraordinary dance teacher.”
The Memorial — Pink Balloons
On March 6, 2015, the citizens of Boulder City gathered at Bicentennial Park to honor Amy’s memory.
A six-foot banner was displayed with her face on it and a quote that captured everything she believed in: “Keep Dancing and Love.”
Then the sky filled with pink balloons. Haley stood in the park and watched them rise. She said afterward: “I can’t believe how many people love my mom and how many people came for her.”
Her niece, who was the inspiration for the second book in the Little Haley Stories series, said the memorial was light-hearted and not sad because that was exactly how Amy had always made people feel. She brought joy. And even in her absence, the joy remained.
Legacy
Amy Arnaz’s legacy is written in the lives of the students she taught, the institution she built, and the community she served. Dance Etc. shaped thousands of young people. The Boulder City Ballet Company gave those students a stage. The Boulder Theatre was saved from ruin and turned into a home for art. The Little Haley Stories gave small children a way to see themselves in a story. The baby elephants found people who cared. And a 28-year marriage showed what love looks like when it is built on shared values rather than shared spotlight.
She was the daughter-in-law to Lucille Ball, one of the most famous women in the history of American television. She never used that connection for personal gain. She was simply herself Miss Amy, from Boulder City.
FAQs
Who was Amy Arnaz?
Amy Arnaz, born Amy Laura Bargiel, was an American ballet dancer, dance teacher, children’s author, and arts advocate. She was the founder of Dance Etc. and the Boulder City Ballet Company in Nevada, and the wife of Desi Arnaz Jr., son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
When was Amy Arnaz born?
She was born on September 12, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois.
How did Amy Arnaz die?
Amy died on January 23, 2015, in Boulder City, Nevada, after a two-year battle with brain cancer. She was 63 years old.
Who did Amy Arnaz marry?
She married twice. Her first husband was Gary Frederick Charf, whom she married in 1975 and divorced in 1979. Her second husband was Desi Arnaz Jr., whom she married on October 8, 1987. That marriage lasted until she died in 2015.
Did Amy Arnaz have children?
Yes. She had one biological daughter, Haley, from her first marriage. Haley was legally adopted by Desi Arnaz Jr. after their marriage in 1987 and took the Arnaz name.
Was Amy Arnaz related to Lucille Ball?
Through her marriage to Desi Arnaz Jr., Amy became the daughter-in-law of Lucille Ball. Lucille Ball attended Amy and Desi’s wedding in 1987.
What did Amy Arnaz do professionally?
She was a principal dancer at the Nevada Dance Theatre for ten years, a ballet teacher at the University of Nevada, the founder of Dance Etc. studio in Boulder City, the co-founder and director of the Boulder City Ballet Company, and a children’s author.
What books did Amy Arnaz write?
She co-wrote a trilogy of children’s books called the Little Haley Stories with friend Ellen Dickstein. The three titles were The Magic Tutu, Juliana Cuddles, and Clara’s Nutcracker, all based on her daughter Haley’s life as a ballet dancer.
What awards did Amy Arnaz receive?
She received the Spirit of Nevada Award and was recognized by the 109th United States Congress for her contributions to children and the arts community in Southern Nevada.
Where did Amy Arnaz live?
She moved to Boulder City, Nevada, in 1979 and lived there for the rest of her life. She and Desi also spent time in Beverly Hills in the early years of their marriage before settling permanently in Boulder City.