2010 has been a year full of amazing opportunities and accomplishments including the Vancouver Paralympic Opening Ceremonies, my 1-Km walk No crutches or leg braces, and most recently I just appeared on the hit TV show called So You Think You Can Dance Canada. The audition took place in Montreal and my performance blew the judges away having me go straight through to the Finals week in Toronto. This honour and surprise was a total shock to me I was not expecting to go through at all. I have followed the show for several years and every time someone with a disability auditions the judges always compliment and encourage the dancer but do not allow them to go through due to the possible complications with partnering and so on. It was incredible having the judges support, belief, and open-mindedness in me to be a part of the Finals week experience.

Words cannot describe my experience at finals week. I am so thankful and blessed of that experience. I learned so much and feel I grew as a dancer and a person in those 3-days I was there. I made some amazing friends and danced with some of the Best! Thank you to the SYTYCD Canada staff, judges, producers for the way you honoured me on last nights episode. Also a big thank you to all my supporters from around the world thank you!

Even though I did not make it through all the way it was further than I would have ever expected. As a self-taught dancer and someone who has never taken a dance courses in their life, I plan on taking some Ballroom and Tango classes to prove to the judges I can dance with a partner (just come clubbing with me) so watch out Canada as I may come back in the next year or so with a new dance style

Check out my audition video below, more videos to be posted as they come out!

SYTYCD Montreal Audition – Lazylegz

Recap of Finals Week

Just wanted to put a little note for anyone following Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Tonight Wednesday Aug. 18 are the Montreal Auditions. For all the dancers in Montreal you may recognize some familiar faces! Support the Canadian Dancers!

Good luck to all my friends on that show wishing you guys all the best!

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“No Excuses” Tank Tops

Girls Pink Tops

ALL SIZES AND COLORS AVAILABLE TOO!

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ALL PROFITS FROM T-SHIRT SALES GO TOWARDS THE ILL-ABILITIES CHARITY & ANNUAL “NO LIMITS” EVENT

I am proud to share with you all that my 1-Km walk challenge was a great success. I was able to complete the walk in just under 1-hour which was my personal goal. I fell several times and needed some support at times, but most importantly I got through it without my crutches and leg braces. I also was extremely thankful and am still speechless with the amount of support I had. First off, from all the encouraging messages on my Facebook and then the morning of the walk there was probably over 60 families that walked with me. Their encouragement definitely motivated me during the times of the walk that I almost felt like giving up. There was a point in the walk where I really couldn’t feel my legs anymore, at that moment there was this beautiful little girl named Kora that has AMC just like me and her parents stood her up next to me and she started taking steps along side me. It was that moment that I knew I absolutely could not give up. I had to prove it to everyone that I could do this and its been my dream as a child to be able to get rid of my crutches one day. Well I can tell you I am getting closer to that dream now!

Thank you to Kora and the rest of the AMCer’s around the world! Thank you to my family, my girlfriend Melissa, my crews (ILLMASK & ILL-Abilities), Montreal, Bethesda (Washington D.C), and all my other supporters around the world. Thank you for your support and believing in me. It’s just the beginning.

Check out the video of the walk and Pics below:

Video of 1km

Also would just like to shout out:

www.amcsupport.org – for putting together the annual convention and helping organize this walk

www.wordans.com – for helping out with the shirts and helping us raise over $300 to AMC Support (If you like the shirts visit my webstore type in Lazywear2010 in Promo code for 15% off)

My biggest physical challenge is yet to come. On Saturday August 7, 2010 in Orlando, Florida at the Arthrogryposis Conference I will be attempting to walk 1KM with No crutches or leg braces.

For those that may not know these past 8-years I have been learning to stand up straight and am taking more and more steps being able to walk freely.

Last year in Halifax, Nova Scotia I succeeded to walk a half Kilometer in 22-minutes though immediately upon my return home from the walk I ended up in the emergency room with a severe heat stroke and over exhaustion. The reason being I had performed for 10-days 3-shows-a-day before the walk hence the over exhaustion.

This year I have been smart and have not booked any engagements prior to this walk. I have also been training intensely these past couple weeks by swimming laps, stretching, practicing walking, and seeing a trainer for a couple sessions.

I have never walked this much in my whole life but it has been my life long dream to be able to walk without my crutches. My goal for the rest of my life is to make this walk an annual event where I double the distance each year until the day I will no longer need the crutches. So this year it is 1KM, next year will be 2KM, in 2012 will be 4KM and so on…

Each year I will be dedicating my walk to different causes and organizations always under the ILL-Abilities motto of “No Excuses, No Limits”. This year my walk is dedicated to all the Children and Families affected with Arthrogryposis.

I am confident and feel good for this walk but I ask for your support to continue encouraging me for this big challenge. Lets make this Dream into Reality!

Thank you all for the past, present, and future support! It is your support that has helped me become the man I am today.

In honour of my Birthday I have reduced all T-Shirt Prices to $20. Also type in Lazywear2010 (promo code) for an extra discount. All profits from the T-Shirt sales go to the ILL-Abilities Charity.

Lazywear

Thank you all for your support!

Hope all is well and Happy Birthday to everyone else sharing this magical day!

Peace,

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli

After an amazing and inspiring weekend in the Yukon this past week(More detailed write up of weekend to come). I am excited to be in Toronto this weekend for the U.N.I.T.Y Kickoff. An exciting event including lots of young talented artist from and around the Toronto area.

Come and support this free all day event. Check out www.unitycharity.com for more info

Peace,

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli

What’s up everybody?

How’s everyone doing? I am currently at the Salt Lake City airport in Utah waiting on my connecting flight to Vancouver then will have a 5hour layover headed towards Whitehorse, Yukon for the Cypher for a Change event.

Figured this would be a good opportunity to keep you guys updated with my events.

I was just in Helena, Montana for the Montana Youth Leadership Conference (M.Y.L.F) where I taught a Confidence-Building workshop to 15 future leaders. There were 15 students selected from across the state of Montana to attend this conference. I had an amazing time with the kids and will not forget the awesome battle we had during the evening dance.

While at the conference I asked the students what breakdancing is to them and I heard the best definition ever from a student named Devon aka Danger .  He said “Breakdancing is like the male version of Ballet” When he told us that we all laughed, but come to think about it, it kind of is…except there is no official structure like ballet but it is definitely a male dominated dance.

This weekend I will be in Whitehorse, Yukon. This will be my first time in the Yukon and I am really excited for this trip. It is an event that is kind of like a Bboy Summer Camp where over 40 dancers from across Canada are all meeting up to learn off each other. The event is held at a Retreat so lots of different activities outside of breakin’ have been organized for us to participate in. I am looking forward to zip lining and hiking.

Below is a film of the highlights of last years Cypher for a Change.

Cypher For A Change Promo Video

Anyways I hope all is going well with everyone. Just to keep you all informed about my promise to turn my blackberry off for a week. It was a success and I even kept it off for an extra period of time. It is good to disconnect at times. I think we all need it from time to time.

Peace,

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli

Tto please both sides as a dual citizen

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to all the Americans out there and Happy 4th of July to the Non-Americans

Another video to share

Hope all is well and hope everyone is enjoying their Vacations!

Peace,

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli

Hello World,

I am currently off to Prince Edward Island at the moment. I have decided to go on Vacation, this is the first vacation I have taken in a loooong time. It is also the first time I go to a location without having any performances to do. It will be interesting for me to grasp the idea of relaxing. I promised my girlfriend Melissa and my friends traveling with me that I will turn off my cell phone and will not respond to emails until I return to Montreal. Will I be able to go that long without technology??? I will keep you guys updated!

Anyways I have been meaning to write a 6-month review of what I have been up to since January including stories from my trips in Belgium, Vancouver, Texas, Washington DC, Edmonton, and recently London, ON. Though, I have not had a chance to write anything yet, maybe while I am at the beach in P.E.I.

Though, I did recently upload a couple videos to my youtube account that you can check out the links below:

Lazylegz Battle Documentary

I hope all is going well with everyone and to all the Canadian’s out there HAPPY CANADA DAY! for the non-canadians out there Happy Canada Day anyway

Peace,

Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli