The most challenging years at the Ballet School were not enough for her.
Melania Di Luozzo, a former alumna of the Professional Dancers Course and the star of this Hall of Fame induction, decided to double her Academy experience after graduation by attending the Master Class in Ballet and Contemporary Dance.
Melania, tell us about how your passion for dance was born and how you discovered the Teatro alla Scala Academy Ballet School.
I began to be passionate about this wonderful world at the age of 8, attending the Centro Studi Arte Danza school in Pescara, under the guidance of Teacher Rossana Raducci Vantaggio, until the age of 16. My good fortune was to meet Ms. Paola Vismara, teacher of the Academy's Dance School, to whom I am very grateful since it is only thanks to her that I am here today. After shadowing me during an internship, Teacher Vismara invited me to participate in three classes at the School of Ballet, at the end of which, Director Frédéric Olivieri offered me the opportunity to enter the School's 6th Academic Course. I studied intensively under the guidance of Teacher Tatiana Nikonova, another figure to whom I personally owe a great deal: she made me grow artistically in a way I did not think possible and helped me tenaciously achieve my goals until I graduated.
I gradually developed a strong connection with dance that today represents the predominant part of my life. This path has allowed me to grow and hone my skills, making me the dancer I am today.
You attended the last 3 years of the “canonical” academic course of the Ballet School, and having come to the end of this period, you decided to continue your training with the Advanced Course in Ballet and Contemporary Dance offered by the La Scala School: a program that aims to perfect the artistic talents of young dancers and ballerinas so that they can best tackle their careers on stage. Would you tell us why you think this program was important for your training? Do you think this course represents an important opportunity for male and female dancers?
Taking the master class at the Academy is an unmissable opportunity to be able to study with several internationally renowned teachers. One has the opportunity to learn about different styles and methods, expanding one's technical and artistic knowledge. The course not only allows you to hone your skills, but also offers the chance to immerse yourself in a stimulating and creative environment, where every lesson is an opportunity for growth. The variety of instruction received allows one to develop a broader and more comprehensive view of dance, increasing one's repertoire and enhancing one's versatility as an artist.
Different choreographic styles and methods are explored in the course witnessed by the presence of leading artists including Cynthia Harvey, Monique Loudières, Piotr Nardelli, Alejandro Parente, Claudia De Smet, Shirley Esseboom and many others. What have you learned from all these different masterclasses?
Participating in Masterclasses is crucial in the learning journey as it is possible to delve into artistic aspects that go beyond mere technique. The teachers play a crucial role in enhancing the way of moving. Through their experience and expertise, they are able to make you grasp artistic peculiarities that enhance the performance. In conclusion, the Masterclasses help you develop greater body awareness, which is essential for improving expressiveness and stage presence.
Different choreographic styles and methods are explored in the course witnessed by the presence of leading artists including Cynthia Harvey, Monique Loudières, Piotr Nardelli, Alejandro Parente, Claudia De Smet, Shirley Esseboom and many others. What have you learned from all these different masterclasses?
Participating in Masterclasses is crucial in the learning journey as it is possible to delve into artistic aspects that go beyond mere technique. The teachers play a crucial role in enhancing the way of moving. Through their experience and expertise, they are able to make you grasp artistic peculiarities that enhance the performance. In conclusion, the Masterclasses help you develop greater body awareness, which is crucial for improving expressiveness and stage presence.
In your opinion, what is the strength of the course?
The strength of the course consists, in my opinion, in the opportunity to study with teachers who make their professional experiences available to the students. Each teacher has unique artistic peculiarities, which are valuable assets from which students can benefit, thus helping to forge young dancers.
And after the course? We know that you will start working just this month, April 2025, at La Scala Theater as an adjunct to the Corps de Ballet. Are you happy with this milestone? Did you expect it?
I am extremely happy and grateful for this wonderful opportunity. Entering as an adjunct in the corps de ballet at La Scala is a dream come true and represents a new starting point for me, rather than a goal. I hope I can improve more and more to be able to always give my best. To see one's efforts recognized in such a prestigious theater is an immense and unexpected thrill. In this environment, the competition is very high and every audition is an unknown. When the contract proposal came, it was an explosion of joy. I had the honor of dancing in productions such as “The Balanchine - Robbins Triptych” and Nureyev's “The Nutcracker.” Upon my return to the Theater, productions of Pierre Lacotte''s “Paquita” and Nureyev's “Swan Lake,” unique and timeless repertory ballets that I look forward to dancing, will await me.
Finally, we ask you about a key characteristic that you think a person must have to pursue this career and a wish for all the boys and girls who are preparing to enroll in the next edition of the course.
Determination is, in my opinion, the fundamental characteristic of a young dancer. There will be difficult moments and countless days when one will wonder if this is really the right path. However, if that unquenchable fire burns within, the passion for dance, even in times of fatigue, will be the strength that will allow one to move forward. My wish for those about to embark on this path is to never lose the love for this discipline, which will make them shine on stage. It is essential to always believe in one's dreams, for if pursued with heart and perseverance, they will find their way sooner or later.
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