Today we’d like to introduce you to Virginia Santucci.
Hi Virginia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My name is Virginia Santucci, and I am a Professional Dancer in New York City. I was born and raised in Florence, Italy, which is where I not only learned how to dance but discovered my passion for it. At 19, I moved to Paris to study at the Institut Formation Professionnelle Rick Odums. There I honed my skills working under both the Jeune Ballet Jazz and Jeune Ballet Modern dance companies. I lived in Paris for a year until I had the honor to be accepted into The Ailey School of New York City, of which I graduated in 2022.
So, at 20 years old, I bought a one-way ticket to New York and have been here ever since! It’s been such an inspiring and amazing experience for me. Professionally and artistically, there’s no place like it. I’m surrounded by incredible dancers and artists all the time, and it’s always pushing me to get better and better. But personally, I also feel that I’ve found my place, and that’s why I continue to call it my home. And that’s about 23 years summed up in a few sentences!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To start, I deal with the same obstacles many of us deal with. You know: the doubt, rejection, all the sacrifices made to pursue this career. All of that has definitely been there for me. But personally, the more defining obstacles are closer to home. Moving to a new country twice, in the way I did was very challenging for me. And it still is in some ways.
In France, I was pretty close to Italy, but now living in America, I’m much farther away. It’s been really difficult at times, especially in the beginning. There was a language and culture barrier that I had to overcome. I had to find a community on my own. And I also just had to find myself and who I was in this new, big, competitive place. It forced me to not just find strength within myself but build it from the ground up. I’ve come a long way, I recognize that every day, but there are still times where this is an obstacle for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a professional dancer. I specialize in modern and contemporary dance. One thing I am very proud of is my versatility. I’m very adaptable, so whether it’s hip-hop in one moment and then ballet in the next, I’ll be good regardless. And I think that’s what sets me apart from a lot of people; I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities because of my versatility.
I’m very proud of all the places I can say I’ve danced to. I’ve been very fortunate to have danced on some of the more respected stages in 3 different countries. That’s something I’ll always hold close.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
There’s so much anyone could say here. I would say that Dance is a pretty tough field to pursue. Many people still don’t look at dance, or the arts, as a real profession. But all of us here, doing these things, know that it is. So just go for it. Follow your passion, surround yourself with people who are pursuing the same thing, and people who you can trust. A good, solid community is everything. Don’t let the outside voices impact your journey. And work hard! Good work will always pay off.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @virginiasntucci
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/e_CYekCSZXw
Image Credits
Paul DuBois
Nir Arieli
