When Luca « Lazylegz » Patuelli discovered dance, he fell in love with the art form. His handicap never once stopped him from achieving his goal: he quickly made the leap and became a professional dancer. Robbed of the use of his legs, his crutches became his strength. He developed his own unique style. He gained international renown.
Flora Lassalle File: Breakdancing
But Luca’s body tires out faster than that of a normal, healthy individual. He’s been aware of this for upwards of 4 years. He’s taken the time to patiently adapt to this challenge. Nowadays, he only takes up projects he knows his body can handle.
Listens to His Body
« I love to be creative, » he says. « But I don’t compete the way I used to. I train differently now. I used to push my limits constantly.
Today, I aim to maintain my fitness and stay sharp with my dance moves. I take better care of my body than before and I listen to it. I dig deep into myself. At dance-offs and competitions, I’ve realized I mostly battle myself rather than my opponents. »
Lazylegz earns as much from speaking engagements as from dancing. Even during conferences, he usually includes a live performance. « I sometimes end up not dancing, » he admits. « And when I skip the performance, I feel something’s missing.
It feels strange not to dance every time. But slowly, I’m learning to accept that. I can still share videos of my performances, or showcase choreography by the young dancers of Projet RAD. »
Without Fear
We have no doubt: Lazylegz draws his greatest strength from his fearlessness. He says it himself — « My choices are dictated by my gut. » Even when his dreams seem unreachable, he never lets fear stop him.
« When I launched the ILL-Abilities project, no one believed it would work, » he recalls. Yet he pushed forward, and the troupe continues to thrive.
« When our team takes risks, we often end up in uncomfortable situations. But we also reap the most rewarding results. »
This year keeps them on the move. They perform at the Pan-American Games in Toronto, take the stage in Korea, and spend a month in the Netherlands creating a new show with local dancers.
« Sometimes the process gets complicated, » he admits. « Each dancer in the crew brings different abilities and follows their own career path. I have to find ways to balance their contributions and highlight their strengths. »
Still, the troupe stays active — and that fills Luca with joy.
Career and Family
Luca is now married, and he and his partner are expecting their first child. Fatherhood hasn’t slowed him down—it’s helping him refocus. “Having a child forces you to choose your priorities,” he says.
“Before, I was afraid of hurting people’s feelings if I said ‘no.’ I said ‘yes’ to everyone. Now I’ll have to start saying ‘no’ sometimes.”
Travel has always fueled Luca’s dreams, and he’s traveled extensively. But with a growing family, he now chooses his destinations more intentionally.
At home, Luca and his spouse pour their energy into Projet RAD, a dance school they founded in 2012 for youth with disabilities. “We started with one class and five students,” he recalls.
“Now, 80 people with disabilities come to dance here. We have six studios and offer 13 classes from Friday to Sunday.”
The school’s rapid growth has amazed them. But instead of resting on their success, they aim higher, working to raise the quality of instruction and build a sustainable, inclusive model.
“We created a certification process for our teachers,” Luca explains. “We train our instructors in-house. They learn about disabilities, show production, and how to adapt their teaching to different needs.”
While Luca no longer teaches every class himself, he remains closely involved. “I visit once a month to check in with both our students and our instructors. I talk with them, hear what’s working and what needs adjusting.”
Through Projet RAD, Luca builds a space where movement and difference coexist with joy. As his family grows, so does his commitment to nurturing a more inclusive world—one dance step at a time.
Always Moving Ahead
And that’s not all — he keeps going: “I still organize events. I love creating spaces that include as many people as possible. I launched the ‘I Can’ Challenge, for example, where I walked 2.5 km.
It’s a dance project designed to bring people together and celebrate life, no matter their differences. Right now, I’m training for a dance competition in Los Angeles.”
Luca pours every ounce of his energy into his projects — from Projet RAD to his clothing line. But he isn’t slowing down. “I want to keep growing and learning. We’re all apprentices in life, always learning. I never want to stop.”
Despite his unpredictable body and the curveballs life throws his way, Lazylegz continues to dream, create, and inspire — and his best ideas may still be ahead.
The duk with dancing dreams
From an early age, Luca notices a troubling absence. In most children’s books, difference is either erased or portrayed as a punishment, a challenge to overcome, or a flaw to fix. Rarely does a child with a disability find a character who looks like them — without the drama, without the miracle.
That’s where Funky steps in. A little duck born with one shorter leg, Funky stars in the picture book Lazylegz published in 2025. He doesn’t march in line, doesn’t dance like the others — but he dances all the same. In his own way. And that way becomes a style.
This book is more than a story. It’s a tender and radical act. A space where children with disabilities can recognize themselves without being reduced to their difference — and where other children can learn to see the world differently.
Funky doesn’t erase disability. On the contrary, it celebrates the idea that a body can have limits and still invent its own rhythm, its own path.
For Luca, this book is a gift to his daughter. But it’s also a call: that every child, no matter their body, deserves the right to dream, to dance, and to be fully, freely themselves.
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