By Colin McGregor
The scene: the studio of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, downtown Montreal. The room vibrates to the energy of the artists here this evening. These are not classical ballet dancers, though. These are hip-hop artists. On this night, the international dance group ILL-Abilities has invited breakdancers as well as members of the general public to an extravaganza that fills the hearts of the assembled participants with joy and glee.
The members of ILL-Abilities begin by presenting themselves and answering audience questions. This team was born of an idea from the fertile mind of a breakdancer and motivational speaker from Montreal, Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli. He was born with arthrogryposis, a muscle disorder which affects his legs, and dances on crutches.
One day he asked himself: “What if we formed a supercrew of dancers with different capacities?” His dream soon crystallized into reality in 2007, with an all-star team composed of the world’s best disabled hip-hop dancers.
Initially composed of four dancers, the team eventually more than doubled in size.
“Luca lobbied a few international dancers” explains ILL-Abilities member Kujo, who comes from Los Angeles. “He gave me a video and his business card and I thought: this guy is a hustler! Our first invitation was to a Red Bull event.”
Among the members of the supercrew when they visited the Grands Ballets studio were:
– Luca Patuelli “Lazylegz” (Canada)
– Jacob Lyons “Kujo” (U.S.)
– Sergio Carvajal “Checho” (Chile)
– Redouan Ait Chitt “Redo” (Holland)
– Jung Soo Lee “Krops” (South Korea)
– Samuel Henrique “Samuka” (Brazil)
– Lucas Machado “Perninha” (Brazil)
– Bosila Banya “Junior” (France)
In hip-hop culture, a supercrew represents a group of elite dancers recruited from different crews.
ILL-Abilities has “become a family,” Luca says. “We’re like the Avengers: we get together all around the world. It’s the unifying power of hip-hop.”
The clothes worn on this night are ample, colorful and informal, reflecting the attitudes of those who are here. Sweatshirts, sneakers and baseball caps are the order of the evening.
Judging by the crowd’s reaction, these B-Boys are superheroes for a lot of people. Especially for those with their own physical challenges to overcome. Seeing ILL-Abilities is inspirational. Dancers dancing on one leg, or with crutches, or who are deaf.
A young lady, seated on a wheelchair, starts to cry. She gets off her chair and starts to roll around on the floor. Her face mirrors her joy and excitement.
Another young dancer throws away his crutches and turns on his head like a top. The room’s energy is palpable. Tough to say what the disciplined dancers of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens would say if they were here. Maybe they’d join the hip-hoppers and turn circles on their head. After all, dance is dance.
Artists from places around the globe are present, outside of the supercrew: from Germany, Portugal and Latin America. They all form a circle and, one by one, present their best moves. Everyone is thrilled.
“I thought I’d lost everything,” Krops says. “But our motto is no excuses… no limits. Everyone has problems. The idea is to find a way to overcome them. To make sure that everything works out. Follow your dreams.”
Junior says: “I never want to be pigeonholed, for my handicap to define me. I found my family in dance. I found the strength to confront my demons.”
Kujo declares: “We delve within ourselves and see what others are doing. We all strengthen each other. We learn that real love conquers all.” He is deaf and has to focus on vibrations to follow the beat.
This breakdancing supercrew takes its name from a hip-hop culture convention in which a negative term is used to express something positive. The “ILL” in ILL-Abilities means “sick”, referring to an incredible, astonishing and complex talent. Instead of seeing their disabilities as obstacles, they concentrate on their positive skills.
Luca is also an inspiring speaker. Over the course of his career, he’s had the opportunity to bring his hopeful message to more than a million people around the world.
Luca is astonished. “For us to be in this building is an enormous statement. It means something. Les Grands Ballets are an elite dance company. Hip-hop hasn’t always be welcomed here.”
Photo: ILL-Abilities answering audience questions (Photo by C. McGregor)
As seen in Reflet de Société, No. 33-1, septembre-octobre (September-October) 2024, page 21
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