March 23, 2018
As a ballet child, Argentinian Wilma Giglio longed to go to Europe and dance at the prestigious Lausanne ballet competition. However, it was not financially possible for her family to send her to Europe. Instead, she qualified for a place at the Canadian State Ballet School:
“I was in my sixth year at the school, when I learned that the Royal Danish Ballet were looking for female dancers. I decided to go for it as I still had the dream of dancing in Europe. Luckily, I was accepted together with a group of other girls. The Canadian Ballet has close ties to the RDB through exchanges of ballet students and teachers, so although I was the only Argentinian, there were RDB dancers, I already knew from the Canadian School”.
The first big chance
The large intake was related with Nikolaj Hübbe’s plan to create big scale productions like “La Bayadére” and “Swan Lake” with a full size corps. For Wilma Giglio, this strategy made it possible to advance faster than the normal process. She moved from a place in the corps, to minor soles and finally to take over from injured leading dancers:
“My major change came when soloist Femke Mølbach Slot got injured and could not dance her part in Twyla Tharp’s “Come Fly Away”.
Femke Mølbach Slot had built her career mainly on ingénues roles like Juliet in John Neumeier´s production of “Romeo & Juliet”. However for the role as Kate in the Twyla Tharp ballet, Mølbach Slot had made the transformation to a sexy, disturbed women in a cannot live with him, cannot live without him relationship. The pairing of Mølbach and company star Gregory Dean was the highlight of the ballet.
“I was very surprised to be asked to take over the leading female role. It became a turning point in my career,” says Wilma Giglio.
The RDB is known for their strong dramatic dancing tradition. The ballet school teaches the children to act from the age of seven. The national Bournonville tradition demands skilled mimes and there is many dramatics roles for the ballet pupils:
“Come Fly Away” became the ballet where I found my acting muscles. I was very lucky to have Gregory Dean as my partner. Not only is he a very strong partner, he has a great dramatic range.”
It look like “Come Fly Away” broadened the range of roles for Wilma Giglio:
“I stared getting some featured roles like the Arabian dance in Balanchine’s Nutcracker” as well as the Russian divertissement in “Swan Lake” The cast consists of one girl and seven male dancers. The divertissement is choreographed by our young choreographer Oliver Marcus Starpov and combines classic and modern dance to a very powerful performance.”
The Russian divertissement has grown to be a big audience favorite.
Last season, RDB premiered a strong season with lots of big productions, which gave the dancers plenty of chances. As a member of the corps, Wilma Giglio got her part of supporting roles. She was one of the flamingos, used as golf clubs in Christopher Wheeldon’ “Alice”. However, the production of George Balanchine’s “Jewels” presented Wilma Giglio with her so far greatest challenge:
“I found myself cast as the second ballerina in “Emeralds”. As “Emeralds” focus on the romantic 19th century ballet that really suits the RDB style. I shared the role with Principal ballerina, Susanne Grinder, who is an outstanding romantic ballerina and I learned a lot from her.”
Maybe “Emeralds” paved the way to her first leading role. When the cast list went up for George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker”, Wilma Giglio was on the list as one of six Sugarplum fairies, a role usually reserved for the company´s leading ballerinas.
“I was very surprised to get the role. I did get two performances with Andreas Kaas as my Cavalier,” says Wilma Giglio.
She must have done a fine job, because when the castings of “Swan Lake” was announced, Wilma Giglio found herself in the role of Odette/Odile. Wilma Giglio will get her chance in May. It is planned that she will dance with recently appointed principal dancer, Jonathan Chmelensky.
These castings prove that Nikolaj Hübbe have recognized her talent. It will be very interesting to follow how far she can go.
Long way home
Wilma Giglio is probably the dancer who has the longest road home. Luckily, her mother was able to visit her in the cold Copenhagen winter.
However, Wilma Giglio is well integrated in the company and in Denmark. Having a Danish boyfriend helps gets settled. It could look like she will be here for a very long time.
The Bournonville repertoire actually has an Argentinian leading lady, Rosita in “Far from Denmark”. That could be a perfect match.
Photos Copyright (c) Royal Danish Ballet:
- Wilma Giglio and Sebastian Haynes in "Emeralds".Photo by Costin Radu
- Wilma Giglio. Photo by Natasha Rydvald
- Marcin Kupinski and Wilma Giglio in "Emeralds". Photo by Costin Radu
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