Leo couldn’t walk or talk at five years old but so desperately wanted to communicate that he splashed paint onto large canvasses and held his own art exhibition, raising over a thousand pounds for his local hospital. He was noticed by the newspapers who came to photograph him and people from as far away as America wanted to buy his paintings. They labeled him the next Jackson Pollock.
Leo was frustrated by not being mobile, and would bounce in his wheelchair to music that he choose from his iPad. Gradually, he stood unaided and worked every day on his muscles and strength. Everyone said he would never walk!
Bouncing, kicking, falling over, rolling; movement after repeated movement – gradually he stood. One day he took his first step, then another and eventually after a very long road he walked. Then he started dancing and never stopped. His dancing has helped his muscles hold his spine. He has neuro muscular scoliosis – a double twist on his spine.
During lockdown, Leo found dance classes on Zoom with Pineapple Dance Studios. During his first class, Leo was so excited he was mesmerised. He danced all the way through. After the class we were emailed by the dance studio to apologise for the fact that there was no sound due to technical difficulties. Leo had danced anyway. He was the only one. Everyone else left the class. It was noticed.
Leo continued through lockdown to take part in every Zoom class he could. As soon as possible, he went to London to take part in the dance classes in person – at the famous Pineapple Dance Studios in Covent Garden, run by Debbie Moore OBE, who noticed Leo’s passion and offered him a scholarship. Leo has achieved so much by pure will and self belief.
Due to his complex health issues Leo does one week in London and three weeks on Zoom from home in his own studio in Glastonbury a month.