Born with a muscle disorder that affected his legs, Luca “LazyLegz” Patuelli didn’t allow his condition to stop him from doing what he loves most, dancing.

His inspiring story  of overcoming his disabilty swept both Canada, the US, and the rest of the world. He performs breakdancing, won the judges’ hearts in the popular show “So You Think You Can Dance” and has appeared in the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Speaking of dance, while cleaning up my daughter’s room, I found a stray note entitled “So You Can’t Dance?”. As a fanatico of the art, it moved my soul like upbeat music. I started to dance with a song in my mind.

So You Can’t Dance

So you can’t dance? Not at all?
Not even one step?
How can you say that you’ve taken any trouble to live when you won’t even try to dance?

Dance
Is music made visible.
Is the world most famous metaphor.
Is silent poetry.
Is the mother of all arts.

Dance is the hidden language of the soul.
Dancers are the athletes of God.
Nothing is more revealing than DANCING.
Dancing is dreaming with your feet.

DANCE to EXPRESS, not to impress
Dance first, think later, it’s the natural order.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Let the music move your body.

All it takes is to convince your mind to move your feet.
No one can arrive from being talent alone.
God gives talent, work transgresses talent
To touch, to move, to inspire
This is the true gift of Dance
Everyone can Dance.
The only way to do it, is to believe in yourself and do it!

Dance teaches us a lot about life.  One either moves and flows with the music, or holds back. In a world that plays the music of love, pain, joy, grief and grace, the way to live is to take brave and wise steps, express oneself, believe in the best, and dance with others.

This poem and Luca remind us that disability is all in the mind. We have gifts inside of us, abilities untapped, and talents that are yet to be discovered and used.

Believe, talk yourself into the music, and take bold steps.

Standing and waiting gets us nowhere. Dance!

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Who would have thought that in a year alone I will be able to meet and share conversations with some of the world’s best, brightest and most inspiring minds? As a life-long learner, my list of “teachers” and “mentors” whom I would like to learn from never ends, and I’ve met 11 in 2010 – imagine! My cup just runs over and for these blessings I am truly grateful.

Take a few minutes to meditate on some of their most powerful quotes and I am sure you will be inspired as I am. And please do click on their names to check in to their websites or previous blog entries and interviews I had with them.

(In photo from top, left to right: The author with Dr. Wayne Dyer, Barbara de Angelis, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield and John Calub, Jim Bunch and Inga Canfield, and Alex Mandossian)

1. Dr. Wayne Dyer - internationally renowned author and speaker who taught me how to harness the power of intention. http://waynedyer.com/

“A mind at peace, a mind centered and not focused on harming others, is stronger than any physical force in the universe.”

2. Brian Tracy - a renowned teacher on how to achieve our success goals faster.  http://www.briantracy.com

“All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.”

3. Barbara de Angelis – a great speaker on the field of personal relationships and personal growth. http://www.barbaradeangelis.com/

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”

4. Liza Nichols – one of the mentors featured in The Secret, Lisa is truly a breakthrough specialist. http://www.lisa-nichols.com/

“Inside relationships, it’s important to first understand who’s coming into the relationship. And I don’t mean about your partner, I mean about you.”

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