As 11-year old Gig Baldacchino from Birkirkara looks forward to starting at the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, UK in September, we look back at his journey and inspiration.
“Gig has been practicing the art of dance since he was three years old, learning different principles such as Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Spanish and Modern,” says his mother, Connie Baldacchino. “It hasn’t always been easy. He has been subject to been bullying and hate speech because of it but he has followed his dream regardless.”
Gig trained 13 hours per week at Seed Dance Studio. First he started with hip hop but it was when Mr Carmelo Duca, his inspiration, began to teach teaching him ballet he truly fell in love.
“Ballet is his life: when he is dancing he feels free, calm with no worries, and he can truly express himself,” Connie adds.
“Then last February Gig attended the Metti Le Ali Al Talento Masterclasses in Cattolica, Italy, where he was awarded various scholarships including Direct Entry to a Final Audition for a full-time training programme at Elmhurst Ballet School Birmingham.”
“A couple of weeks ago he attended the mentioned audition in Birmingham. It was such a fantastic experience: to have the chance to audition for such a prominent school at such a young age was already a great achievement! Gig had the opportunity to meet and compete with other talented dancers from different countries, and then after the audition we were notified that we had to wait around two weeks to receive the result. That long awaited email finally arrived and we’re just overwhelmed with joy. Gig has been accepted and he shall be starting a new journey at Elmhurst this coming September!”
Connie describes how Gig was particularly inspired by the film Madu, released in 2024, in which twelve-year-old Madu leaves his family and community in Nigeria to study at Elmhurst. Having never left his home outside of Lagos, Anthony finds himself in a new world where his wildest dreams are suddenly within reach.
“It’s a true story,” she smiles, “and Madu is still studying there. We even saw him when we went to the auditions.”
“Gig is so looking forward for the new adventure. Even when he was young Gig told me that he would like to study aboard but I imagined that would be when he was perhaps 16. Gig currently trains at Seed Dance Studios under the direction of Ms Marisha Bonnici and when she told me that boys leave Malta in their early teens to progress their dancing, often around 13 years old, I was surprised. I am more shocked now that he is leaving at 11, but I am delighted too, and very very proud. For Gig, to dance with other boys, and in England, is his dream come true.”
“We hope Gig’s story will inspire other people here to follow their dream and never give up, because yes, talent does get noticed and merited.”
