Luca Patuelli aka Lazylegz

Luca was born in Montreal, QC and raised in Bethesda, MD - a quiet suburb just outside of Washington, DC. Of Italian origin, Luca is the youngest in his family and speaks four languages: French, Italian, English and Spanish. Luca was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC), a neuromuscular disorder which affects the joints and bones of the body, and can inhibit muscle growth. In Luca’s case, AMC primarily affected his lower body, giving him very little muscle tissue in his legs. He uses a pair of fancy golden crutches to get around! Luca discovered breakin’ at the age of 15, after a surgery correcting the angle in his legs impeded his ability to continue skateboarding. When he first started dancing he did not fully realize that his bones were so much more fragile than those of the average person, and he ended up breaking a leg after attempting a complex move in his first public competition (called a “battle”).

It was the positive encouragement from his friends, family, and peers that helped him overcome the struggles with his “ILL-Ability.” This support helped him adapt to any situation he encountered. He was able to create a unique dance style where he uses his crutches as extensions of his arms, and uses the strength of his upper body to float around the dance floor on just his hands! While continuing to develop his own dance skills on a daily basis, Luca is also passionate about introducing dance to other youths with “ill-abilities,” as he believes it is a wonderful, positive outlet for the youth. Dance allows them to build their self-confidence and inspires them believe in their own abilities, regardless of any perceived limitations. Luca strongly believes that life is about “taking the bad and making it good,” transforming negative situations into positive ones. His father always taught him that “your first failure is not to try.” Luca still lives by this motto and encourages everyone to never give up on their dreams. Anything is possible!