Dancing to His Own Beat Politics and History Corner Cal Condition That Could Have Negatively Impacted His Exceptional Family
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LOCAL SWEATSHOP SEEKS GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. PLANS TO INSTALL AIR CONDITIONERS TO IMPROVE IMAGE. BIG BANK PLANS TO INTRODUCE ‘UNBALANCED MUTUAL FUND.’ UNBALANCED BEHAVIOUR ON THE RISE ACCORDING TO ROYAL BANK CHIEF. the Warehouse magazine issue 1 ALESSANDRO NICOLO [email protected] PUBLISHER’S NOTE DEPARTMENTS Tel: 450-728-0672 Welcome to TheWarehouse. In this issue you will find arti- Cell: 514-246-1514 cles, thoughts and ideas that will mean little to you. Ever get up in the morning with regret? Well, that’s the feeling we aim Click on ONLINE to access these articles to proudly recreate here at The Warehouse. We are the attics of magazines. Where forgettable junk lives comfortably with Content and Ideas from Above Sports forgotten gems. Welcome. Explore the idea. script tag: The on-going adventures of a high- Two Soccer Giant Heading in Opposite functioning autistic tweenager who blogs to help Philosophical Directions. A look at ONLINE cope with life and society. Script ready upon Italian and Brazilian Soccer. ............... Published Features request. Macchiavelli and the Yankees ............. ONLINE For more Ideas please contact our Content stats corner: Director Alessandro Nicolo. The Golden Age of Two Great Dancing to His North American Sports Franchises: Fiction The Montreal Canadiens and Iglatikuk the Interloping Urban Inuit .... ONLINE New York Yankees. .......................... ONLINE Own Beat “Contributed European soccer analysis to sports talk if luca patuelli was supposed to let life pass him by, Published Features program on CKGM, The Team 990.” Host Picard. Another face of Italian Accenti Magazine ONLINE someone forgot to leave him a memo. Born with a physi- Dancing to His Own Beat Politics and History Corner cal condition that could have negatively impacted his Exceptional Family ........................... PAGE 1 Me, Harper and the Blue Sky ............ PAGE 7 life, the remarkable Luca Patuelli instead chose to face Canadian Influences in Early this obstacle head on. Health Hollywood ................................... ONLINE Luca was diagnosed with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Family Recipes Offer a Slice of Interview with Independent Journalist Happiness for Allergy Sufferers ........... ONLINE Congenita (AMC) which is a rare congenital disorder J.M Berger .................................... ONLINE that is characterized by reduced mobility of many joints Satire Business and Personal Finance in the body including the arms and legs. Luca was for- Osama Bin Laden Fed Up with Are you up to date? How’s your tunate enough to have the condition restricted only to Conspiracy Theorists ....................... ONLINE business jargon? ............................. ONLINE his legs and walks with the aid of crutches. The cause is Canada on the brink of Civil War! unknown and it is not thought to be genetic. Beaver Alienation Reaches Puberty ...... ONLINE Culture/Society Nor is the condition degenerative. “It’s not really First for You.................................. ONLINE Book Review Leonardo by Martin Kemp ............................ PAGE 8 something that affects the nerves. In fact, I vowed in 1995 that one day I would walk without crutches. As it Personal Meet Leslie Kritzer .......................... ONLINE Well Worth the Faint ....................... PAGE 4 stands I can’t really walk without them. As for wheel- Yearning for Saturday Morning chairs, I use them only after surgeries. I don’t like getting Cartoons of Yesteryear ..................... ONLINE Music and Film pushed around. Not only are they physically uncomfort- Andy Kim Hits all the Right Notes ...... PAGE 5 Death by the Mountain: What Happened to Montreal Architecture? ................. ONLINE able, it’s also a question of independence.” A Rock’ n Roll Soliloguy .................. ONLINE “I am inching towards my goal of walking everyday.” The Blob Indeed, he has strengthened his legs, “…at least 20% to (Review of the 1958 Cult Classic) ........ ONLINE 40%,” through his workout regimen. “I believe, therefore I can,” is the way Luca looks at it. Published Features for one week in October. They followed me rating my legs I could not fit into the stall. My Dancing to His Own Beat to various events including the World Battles friend ended up wheeling me all the way home [CONT. FROM PAGE 1] in Los Angeles and met my family. It lasted a nearby! Needless to say, we did not get to see Luca sets his crutches aside, and is also week. It was pretty cool. It also ended up gar- the conclusion of the movie.” guided by a simple philosophy. “It’s all in the nering the highest ratings of any of the shows According to Luca, one of the most impor- way you take life. Everyday we learn new things. aired.” Luca attributed the success of the show tant aspects of his success is the strong group of Just try to have fun.” Not surprising for a young to a couple of factors. “It helped that I had my family and friends that surround him. “I draw breakdancer with big plans. video out on the Internet so people recognized inspiration from so many people. My parents, Dance performer you say? How? “A friend me and tuned in. The editing process of the Flavio and Laura, were always pretty open with of mine who was a breakdancer introduced me show was eye-catching. It probably helped that me. “My mother’s sense of humour has always to it when I was 15 after I was unable to skate- I had many friends watch it too.” been a big help too. I remember after my Oste- board because of my surgeries. I fell in love With recognition comes increased media otomy, my friends wanted to take me out but it with it right away. I learnt by practicing during attention. “It can be overwhelming. They can was cold outside and my mother was reluctant to lunch at school and watching breakdancing vid- be pretty demanding. Sometimes they want you have me leave the house. As anybody who has eos. It’s now a dream of mine to make a name to dance when you don’t feel like it. But when ever been in a cast would know, your toes are for myself.” you see the finished product it’s all worth it. exposed and this was a concern for my mother. One may indeed be surprised that break- Especially when you get positive feedback from Anyway, she insisted I put hand gloves on my dancing, which is a subset of hip-hop culture, people. I’ve gotten emails and letters from all feet. It was pretty funny. She’s always doing lit- remains a vibrant underground community. over. Japan, Korea, Sweden, Italy, France and tle things to make me laugh. As for my father, “Some trace it back to James Brown because he South America to name a few places. I try not to he once told me ‘the first failure is not to try.’ was the first to drop to his knees. Commercially, segment my fan base. They came from all walks I’ve always tried to live by these words.” They’ve the Rock Steady Crew out of New York City of life and ages. I like to keep contact with peo- always allowed me to explore new things. popularized breakdancing in the late 70s and ple. Some turn into friendships.” “My brother Stefano was always around early 80s. It’s now extremely popular in places Luca is clear to point out that success does to be a big brother. We share similar interests. like Europe and Korea.” not come without persistence and dedication. When I first started dancing my brother was a Knowing history and the roots of whatever “Hard work does pay off. People need to be DJ and we would go to events together. Our activity or job one participates in is something reminded that sometimes good things comes relationship grew tighter as a result. It’s hard Luca takes seriously. “It’s important to read up to those who work with a sense of purpose.” to put into words what he means to me. He’s on things. Good or bad, it helps give a sense of And Luca can speak of this first hand. “It played such a vital role in helping me be the purpose and direction.” could have been a let down. But I didn’t let it person I am today. Of course, my best friends “Gaining recognition didn’t come all that deter me,” said Luca, on the 14 surgeries (16 Jed, Dan and Ryan have played a huge part in quickly. It’s taken me six or seven years to reach in total) between the ages of 8 months and my life. They always treated me as an equal. I the point where people are slowly beginning to 17 years-old relating to his condition he has forget I have crutches when I’m around them. notice me. Now that I think about it, I kinda like undergone. Two in particular were painful and This may not sound like much but it is.” being recognized,” he adds with a boyish smile. demanded a long recuperation process. “I had If he has ever met with discrimination he At 22 he’s already turning his dreams into a 9-hour Scoliosis surgery when I was 13 and was straightforward. “I’ve been asked this many reality. He recently appeared on the ‘Today an Osteotomy at 15. The Osteomomy cut my times. I can’t really say that I have. There was, Show’ after the NBC program discovered him femur in half to create a wedge on both my legs. however, one time when a kid called me ‘handi- on YouTube (a consumer media company where The aim was to allow my leg to fully extend. capped’ when I was five years old. I ran back to people watch and share original videos).