CULLBERG BALLET
After the Ailey experience, Daniela returned to Rome, where she attended C.I.D. (Centro Internazionale di Danza), directed at that time by Mrs. Francesca Astaldi; she studied with, among others, Wladimir Luppov from Marinsky Theatre in Leningrad.
Just as her desire to work abroad was increasing, she heard that Italian choreographer Giuseppe Carbone was taking over the direction of Cullberg Ballet, alongside the reknowned founder Birgit Cullberg.
Once in Stockholm, she danced the roles of “Eurydice” in Orpheus and Eurydice, “The Woman” in Borders of Jungle, and eventually “Juliet” in Romeo and Juliet, all of them were choreographed by Birgit Cullberg.
Afterwards Daniela danced “The Ballerina” in Dreams of Life and Death, a piece dedicated to Cullberg’s late husband Anders Ek.
Beyond the stage, their performance was also filmed by the swedish broadcast SVT2 for the american audience.
After being mentioned to Mr. Carbone by the Italian dancer Gianfranco Paoluzzi, she went to the audition and was accepted into the company.
This was her chance to become a fully-formed professional dancer and leave her home country for the third time.
When Mats Ek succeeded his mother as artistic director, Daniela became fully engaged by the Swedish company, performing the followings:
• The Princess in St. George and The Dragon
• The Hunchback in The House of Bernarda Alba
• The Girl in Youth Memories, with Nacho Duato as her partner, danced in Helsinki with the Finnish National Ballet.
She also danced in Fröken Julie, Soweto, Antigone, and the memorable Giselle, all pieces signed by Ek.
Among several guest choreographers working with her at Cullberg were:
Jiří Kylián, for whom she danced “The Woman” in Stoolgame. He then re-created Transfigured Night on her and Ana Laguna.
Christopher Bruce, then-associate choreographer of Ballet Rambert, for whom she performed Ghost dances.
Kylián will also cast her in Nuages, a pas-de-deux she performed in her later guest appearances.
She was given the main role of “Eve” in Adam and Eve”, this also signed by Mrs. Cullberg. Her first partner was Niklas Ek.
Among the several tour destinations, there was her hometown, Rome. Seated in the audience at the Teatro Olimpico that night was Rudolf Nureyev.
Nureyev was so impressed by Daniela’s performance that he decided she must be his next Eve.