Alessia Gelmetti began to study ballet dancing in Verona with Maestro Dino Lucchetta in 1988 and, at the same time, she attended a number of classes given by internationally-famous teachers. She continued her dance classes in Florence at the "Scuola del balletto di Toscana" where she became a soloist in July 1997. This was an opportunity which allowed her to dance in, amongst others, parts choreographed by Mauro Bigonzetti (
Blue note,
Don Giovanni,
Mediterranea,
Turnpike and
Voyeur), Fabrizio Monteverde (
Roméo et Juliette,
Otello,
The Tempest and
Bluebeard's Castle) and Eugenio Scigliano (
Quasi una fantasia and
Grief).
In 2001 she joined the Corps de ballet of the Fondazione Arena di Verona under the direction of Maria Grazia Garofoli, where she also interpreted roles as a soloist and lead dancer. The most important performances she has given were in
Giselle in the title role, Lucetta in
Two gentlemen of Verona, Princess Florina in
Sleeping beauty, Aurora in
Coppelia and the street dancer in
Don Quixote. Other appearances have been in the ballets
Stelle di oggi, Stelle di domani,
Gala d'autunno (staged last year and dedicated to Poliakov),
Cavalleria rusticana,
Chagrin d'amour,
The Nutcracker and
Zorba il greco. She has also danced in the operas
La Traviata,
Aida (as a soloist and lead dancer),
Carmen and
Il Trovatore.
December 2003