Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli talks about his journey through dance with a neuromuscular disorder...

The Dance Generation Podcast

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli has lived by this motto his whole life. Born with Arthrogryposis, a neuromuscular disorder affecting the bones and joints of the body, he has undergone a total of 16 surgeries since he was 7 months old to support his legs, hips, spine, and shoulders. Despite facing physical challenges, Luca learned at early age about the power of adapting positively to any situation. At 15 years old, Luca was introduced to breakdancing (Bboying/Bgirling). Immediately, he was attracted to the music, the culture and, of course, to the challenging movements. He slowly began creating a unique style that took advantage of his upper body strength. By using his crutches as extensions of his arms, Bboy Lazylegz was born! Over the past 13 years, Lazylegz has developed his career as a professional dancer by competing and performing in a wide variety of international dance events such as Breakin’ Convention, Freestyle Session, IBE, R16, Circle Prinz, World of Dance and Hip Hop International. With growing notoriety, he has had opportunities to appear on both Canadian and American media, including appearances on the Ellen Degeneres Show, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, The Today Show, America’s Got Talent, Tout le Monde en Parle, Star Académie, TF-1 and Paul O’Grady. Lazylegz was given the honour of both headlining and being Segment Director for the 2010 Paralympic Opening Ceremonies. Laylegz has toured the world, performing and inspiring in over 22 countries. He remains an active presence on the international stage as the current National Youth Dance Ambassador for the Canadian Dance Assembly. He created ILL-Abilities, an international Bboy crew comprised of some of the world’s best differently-abled dancers. Together, they have choreographed several theatrical dance productions acknowledged by the Society of London Theatre. As a result, ILL-Abilities received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for the 2013 Olivier Awards. Lazylegz also co-founded RAD Movement, formally known as Projet RAD, an inclusive urban dance program for youth with disabilities. In 2015, David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, recognized Luca along with partners Melissa Emblin and Marie-Elaine Patenaude with a Meritorious Service Medal for their dedication and commitment in creating a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. https://www.lucapatuelli.com/bio