Michelle Palatucci’s major dance comeback is on for 2022, after dancing her way from the Northern Beaches to New York when she was just 17 years old.
Peninsula Living caught up with the Aussie in America over Skype in late December 2021, where she discussed her big comeback to take on the dancing world.
Michelle’s dancing career started while she was a student at Stella Maris Collage, Manly, before taking up an opportunity to audition for the Joffrey Ballet School in New York during its worldwide auditions.
“They came to Sydney, and I was like ‘I’m just going to audition, why not?’ so I did it,” Michelle smiles.
After being accepted to the school, the Cromer local snapped up the opportunity, packed up her bags and made the leap across the other side of the world to the Big Apple at just 17 years of age.
“I got accepted and finished Year 12 and then I went right over to New York on 1 January of 2013.
“I got my diploma in dance under the greatest teachers ever, professional dancers, beautifully trained worldwide. You know in Australia we do have great dance companies and schools, but you talk to all these professional students, and they always go to America or Europe to get that further dream. I chose America,” Michelle explains.
She was training with the company members from the Isadora Dance Company before being offered an apprenticeship position which would see her travelling and dancing in shows around the globe.
Unfortunately, five months after joining the dance company, COVID-19 hit the world, with the arts being one of the sectors that was hit the hardest.
“The whole world was in disbelief. The arts here in New York just closed like that, one day we were all performing and the next it was just done,” Michelle recalls.
Like most people, the company moved their practices online with Zoom classes, which came with great difficulties.
“I live in a pre-war building here in Brooklyn, its old,” Michelle says.
“I couldn’t even jump, how am I supposed to jump in such a small place. I also have neighbours below me. It really put a dampener on everything.
“I had all these shows lined up for 2020 down the drain.”
Michelle decided to leave The Isadora Dance Company and landed a position in Brooklyn teaching ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance.
“I’m still working there to this day, which is amazing, and on top of that, fast forward into 2021, I auditioned and got accepted into an original ballet. It’s called The Prince of Barakova.”
This performance has a twist, as its classical ballet set to rock music.
“I’m very excited because this will be my first major comeback performance,” Michelle says.
“I actually got one of the principal roles and it just so happened to be I’m playing the Princess of Australia.”
Training for the upcoming performance commences in January with the first show premiering in April.
“We are performing in the heart of New York city in a beautiful theatre, so very I’m excited for that.”
After not being able to see her family, who still live on the Beaches, since 2019, Michelle is hoping they will be able to watch her comeback performances in New York. She is also hoping to visit the Peninsula in the future.
“I miss the beach. I grew up on the beach, I grew up going there every weekend. So, it’s totally different here – the atmosphere, the environment and I’m living in a city with tall skyscrapers around me,” she says.
Michelle says her future plans are to simply perform and dance as much as she can.
“Until the day where my body won’t allow it anymore, I want to keep performing,” she says.
“So, hopefully doing these shows coming up, its going to open more doors.”