A talented boy called Roberto

Alessandro Gandolfi Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils listen during a lesson. Vercelli is a small town in Italy with a ballet academy that discovered the international star Roberto Bolle

The most talented ballet dancers often come from the provinces. And, in the case of Italy, schools (there are more than 20,000) are genuine incubators for talent. They introduce children to music and rhythm, teaching them classical techniques and nudging the best – at the ages of 11 and 12 – towards the most prestigious academies.

This is precisely what happened to Roberto Bolle, who went on to become the primo ballerino, or first dancer, at ’s in 1996, at the age of 20. Since then he has had leading roles with in and has been the Principal Dancer with the in New York, in addition to performing with the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and numerous other companies around the world. He is an international star and a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. And yet the seeds of this glorious career were sown in a small provincial town in Northern Italy in the 1980s when Roberto was still a child.

The name of the town is Vercelli and it was here that a young Spanish ballerina, Pilar Sampietro, moved after falling in love with an Italian. She set up a ballet academy where her pupils included Roberto. Sadly, Pilar is no longer with us, having passed away in 2015, but the Vercelli Dance Academy lives on and it continues to produce talented youngsters. And they will dance forever because, in the words of Anna Razzi, a former “Étoile” at La Scala, “in life you never stop being a ballerina.”

The images were taken in 2016. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils prepare for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, teacher Isabel Cortés Nolten watches the pupils during a lesson. Vercelli, Francesca Sabarino, aged 14, is in her third year of middle school. At home in her bedroom she looks at the costume she will wear that afternoon during the end of year performance. Francesca has been studying dance at the Vercelli Dance Academy for nine years. Vercelli Dance Academy: Francesca Sabarino, aged 14, rehearses some of the steps for the end of year performance. Francesca has been studying dance for 9 years. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils chat together at the end of a lesson. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils prepare for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils prepare for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, teacher Cristina Sarasso shows pupils what to do during a lesson. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils talk and send text messages at the end of a lesson. Vercelli, Ginevra Centenaro, aged 11 and in her fifth year of primary school, does her homework in the sitting room of her home. Ginevra has been studying dance at the Vercelli Dance Academy since she was 4. Vercelli Dance Academy, Ginevra Centenaro, aged 11, prepares for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, teacher Cristina Sarasso shows pupils what to do during a lesson. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils take part in a lesson. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils rehearse for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils put on make up before rehearsals for the end of year performance. Vercelli, Beatrice Carrà, aged 10 and a half, is in her fifth year of primary school. Before leaving for the end of year performance, Beatrice plays the piano in her bedroom while her father watches on. Beatrice has been studying dance at the Vercelli Dance Academy since she was 4. Vercelli Dance Academy, Beatrice Carrà, aged 10 and a half (right) and other pupils listen to teacher Isabel Cortés Nolten. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils rehearse for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils take part in a lesson. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils prepare for the end of year performance. Vercelli Dance Academy, pupils take part in a lesson. Parallelozero, via Donatello 19/a, Milano Italy [email protected] - www.parallelozero.com +39 02 89281630