Filippo Zoppellaro
Q & A
Nationality: Italian
Plans after graduation: Thüringer Staatsballett
How long have you been dancing and what do you love most about it?
I started dancing over 15 years ago, but it feels like yesterday when for the first time I stepped into a ballet studio. Dance has entered my life on tiptoe and now is the reason why I wake up in the morning. What I love the most about it is the feeling of freedom that it gives me, the possibility to express my feeling without using words. It just makes me feel alive.
What has been your most memorable moment at Zurich Dance Academy?
The most memorable moment, for me, was definitely the process of creation of the piece "On the Verge of Ascending" by Jon Ole Olstad in preparation for "fussspuren" 2023. Seeing so many people with different backgrounds, different stories, and with all something different to say, connected by dance, was an amazing experience that made me grow so much as a person and as an artist. I still get goosebumps thinking about it today.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In 5 years time I wish to see myself matured, with much more experience and confidence, and hopefully with more stories to tell. I wish for a good mental and physical health, and to still be able to do what I love the most, dancing. Whatever is going to happen, I will embrace it and make the most out of it.
The best feeling on stage is for me…
...the nervousness, the adrenaline, the excitement, the knot in the throat... Just being on stage for me is something priceless, a privilege I get to experience and is incomputable. I would give anything to be on stage.
What advice would you give younger dancers hoping to grow and achieve their dreams in dance?
For the dancers of the future my piece of advice is to work for your own goals, and not for the approval of other people. You are in charge of shaping your future, and you are the only one that can change things for yourself. Be consistent in your work and learn to listen to those who want the best for you. Last but not least remember that hard work always pays off.
