Vanity Teen had the incredible pleasure to interview the international award-winning ballet dancer Vincenzo Di Primo @vincenzodiprimofficial. Although he currently lives in New York City dancing for Complexions contemporary ballet company, he was born in Sicily, Italy, 23 years ago.
His life and professional career have been quite exciting. At the age of 14, he left his home in Italy to attend the Vienna State Opera Ballet School in Austria, graduating at the age of 18 from school in Vienna. He then worked with several companies starting with the Royal Ballet Company of London continuing in Dublin and Athens. Amongst some of his accomplishments are winning several prizes in Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, Youth American Grand Prix in NYC, and the Bejing International Ballet Competition in China. In 2019 he was a contestant on the Italian TV talent show Amici, making it to the finals of the competition.
His journey with dancing started at a very young age when he felt music in a very special way, which eventually led to him taking dancing classes, always with his parents’ support. He now sees Ballet as a way of expressing, “a way of expressing yourself and communicating by using your body instead of your words”
The most important thing for me when I perform is ensuring that I am being true and stripped down emotionally as a dancer; syncing my emotions with my body and connecting to the audience without a filter.
We love asking for advice for our readers because it is an incredible opportunity to share people’s life lessons which can help other people grow and achieve their dreams. One lesson life has taught Vincenzo is being true to himself.
Sometimes you have to follow your gut and suppress the fear of how people will react. It sounds cliche, but being true to yourself is the most important thing you can do.
In addition, he really believes that all of us can succeed in what we love and encourages us to be persistent and patient.
I believe that everyone has a place to succeed in this world and even though sometimes it may seem out of reach, you just have to be persistent and patient.
Q: Where does your love for ballet come from and how did you start dancing ballet?
A: Since I was a little kid, hearing music always did something to me and made me want to move. I grew up in a small town in Sicily and a few times a day there was an ice cream truck that passed by our home playing loud music. When I heard it, I would always go crazy and start dancing. I think my parents saw this in me and knew something right away. So my mother asked me if I wanted to take a dance class, so I did. I started with Latin ballroom then hip hop and eventually found my way to ballet. Once I started taking classes and learning more, every day I would perform for my parents at home. As I grew up, my parents continued to see my passion; they supported me and made personal sacrifices to help me achieve my goals as a dancer.
Q: What does Ballet mean to you?
A: To me, Ballet is like a language, a way of expressing yourself and communicating by using your body instead of your words. The most important thing for me when I perform is ensuring that I am being true and stripped down emotionally as a dancer; syncing my emotions with my body and connecting to the audience without a filter.
Q: What is your professional journey?
A: I started at a school in my hometown, then went to a larger school in a bigger city in Sicily. At that school, I began going to dance competitions around Italy. The competition that changed my journey was in Florence in 2011. There, I caught the eye of the Director for Vienna State Opera Ballet Academy and was offered a scholarship to attend their program the next year. I left home and attended that program from age 14 until I graduated at 18. While attending that program I continued competing and winning prizes around the world, including the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland, Youth America Grand Prix in New York, and the Bejing International Ballet Competition in China. After graduating, I moved to London to work with the Royal Ballet Company. Following London, I worked with companies in Dublin and Athens until 2018. In 2019, I took part in a televised talent competition in Italy called Amici. I made it to the finals of the competition. Following the TV show, I came to work with Complexions Contemporary Ballet in NYC which is a company I admire for many years.
Q: What does it mean for you to have achieved such high goals?
A: For me personally it’s a payoff for all of the hard work over the years. The biggest thing though is as I was growing up I put pressure on myself knowing that my parents were making so many sacrifices for me so I felt a responsibility to do the best that I could. So now, having achieved these things in my career, I feel that in a way I am giving something back to them by them seeing me succeed.
Q: How’s the life of a professional ballet dancer?
A: For me, it’s all I know so I don’t have much else to compare it to. It’s a balance of keeping your mind and body in shape and prepared. You are typically rehearsing 8 hours a day, 6 days per week, or performing 1-2 shows per day for 2 weeks straight. No matter what is happening in your life that could affect you mentally or physically, when it’s time to perform, you have to be ready. There are people paying to see you dancing so you have to give the best that you can.
Q: Can you tell us any lesson life has taught you?
A: Sometimes we make decisions based on our fear of what other people will think rather than what we feel is best. I’ve learned in hindsight, that sometimes you have to follow your gut and suppress the fear of how people will react. It sounds cliche, but being true to yourself is the most important thing you can do.
Q: Would you like to give any piece of advice in any matter to our readers?
A: I believe that everyone has a place to succeed in this world and even though sometimes it may seem out of reach, you just have to be persistent and patient.
Exclusive interview for Vanity Teen online!
