Nicola Di Vico on Dance’s Fulfilment, Fatigue and Longevity

PARIS, FRANCE — Growing up, Nicola Di Vico didn’t have a similar upbringing to most kids drawn to the dance world: he studied in a Catholic school, as his parents wanted him to have the strong foundations of a well-rounded educational background. “Surrounded by religious sisters and classmates,” he says, “I discovered many activities from a wealth of subjects, but one in particular changed everything: dancing.”

He was nine when he truly fell in love with such practice. “At that age, I already felt an inner need to move and express myself through my body: Around the same time, I was also playing basketball, and my coach eventually told me I had to choose between basketball and dance; It was a difficult decision for a child, but deep down, I knew what made me happiest. So I chose the latter,” he says.

“After that, I asked my parents if I could join a serious dance school; I tried two different ones. The first focused on modern dance, which I enjoyed, but when I was studying in the second one the dean suggested I try ballet. At first, I hesitated  but they convinced me to take one trial class and I loved it,” he says.

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

He spent several years in that school, learning all the basics, discovering discipline, grace, and strength. Around that time, he began watching a TV program about a prestigious dance academy in Milan. “I remember sitting in front of the screen, completely fascinated, and then turning to my mom and asking if it could ever be possible for me to study there,” he reminisces. “She took my question seriously and even spoke to the dean of my school to see whether I could audition for a more advanced institution.”

Then, something unexpected occurred. “Every year, our school was visited by important judges looking for new talent. During one of those visits, someone filmed me and sent the video to the dean of the Rome Opera Ballet School. A few days later, I received an invitation to audition: I still remember how nervous and excited I felt that day and how unreal it seemed when they told me I had been accepted.”

Di Vico joined the Rome Opera Ballet School when he was twelve, and stayed there for five years, until he graduated at seventeen.  “When I graduated, I wanted to audition for the professional company at the Rome Opera, but I quickly discovered that in Italy, you must be eighteen to do so,” he says. “I was only seventeen at the time but then I learned that in Paris, it was possible to audition younger. Since the Paris Opera had always been a dream for me, I decided to take my chance and go for it.”

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

Di Vico was fortunate to be offered a one-year contract. “By the end of that year I didn’t have many opportunities and then the pandemic arrived,” he recalls. “In 2021, I was invited to perform in a production of Romeo and Juliet, marking a significant turning point in my career. Later that year, I decided to try again at the Paris Opera’s audition competition, where I was admitted to the company and offered a permanent contract. Just three months later, I passed my second competition, where I was promoted to Coryphée, and in 2023, I was promoted to Sujet.”

One of Di Vico’s first major roles was the Pas de deux des paysans in Giselle. “It happened during a tour in Korea with the Opera. That evening, the dancer who was supposed to perform the role was injured, and unexpectedly, I had to replace him, an unforgettable experience.”

Since then, he’s danced other important parts, including the pas de trois in Swan Lake, the pas de trois in Paquita, the Precious Stones variations in The Sleeping Beauty, and, more recently, Hilarion in Giselle.

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

On Dance as a Form of Expression

“For me, dance is a form of expression because it allows me to communicate emotions and thoughts that I often can’t put into words. When I dance, every movement becomes a language: through my body, I can tell my story, give shape to my energy, and transform anger, joy, or melancholy into gestures. It’s as if the music enters inside me and helps me release everything I feel, without the need for explanations. Dancing, for me, means being authentically myself, in harmony with what I feel at that moment.”

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

On The Joys and Thrills of Dance

“When I think about the most joyful moments in my career, a few immediately come to mind: being admitted as a permanent dancer at the Paris Opera, and later, being promoted from coryphée to sujet. Another meaningful memory was performing as the Golden Idol, a role that holds special significance for me because Paul Marque, one of the leading dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, who was a premier danseur at the time, was named étoile the very night he danced it. Moments like these remind me why I chose this path. Every time I step on stage, I feel a thrill, a mix of nerves and excitement that never goes away. Over time, I’ve learned to channel that feeling into adrenaline, into an energy that fuels my performance.”

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

On Dance’s Hardships and Systemic Complexities 

“One of the biggest challenges in this profession is that your entire life becomes organized around the rhythm of the Opera. Every choice you make, what you eat, how much you sleep, how you move, how you recover, must align with your work as a dancer. There is very little separation between your art and your everyday life. It’s a job that demands total commitment, not only physically but mentally and emotionally. You have to accept a constant level of pressure and the awareness that everything depends on your body. It teaches you discipline and humility, but it can also be isolating. And then, of course, there is the fear of injury, probably the greatest fear for any dancer. We all try to prevent it through our daily routines, stretching, and care.”

On Mental Health 

“This career brings moments of pure fulfillment and others of deep fatigue. It’s easy to lose balance between the artistic ideal and the reality of the discipline. Over the years, I’ve learned to approach my emotions with more calm and perspective. I try to keep a steady line in my life, not to be carried away by extremes, neither by the euphoria of success nor by the discouragement that sometimes comes after long rehearsals or artistic disappointments.”

_{Photographer: Cosimo Buccolieri}

On Future Hopes and Expectations 

“Of course, I dream of one day becoming danseur étoile. That would be the ultimate recognition, not just for me, but for my parents who sacrificed so much so that I could follow this path. It would be a way of honoring their faith in me and the countless hours of work behind every performance.  But beyond titles or promotions, what I truly hope for is longevity. I want to keep dancing for as long as I can, with sincerity and passion.”

by Chidozie Obasi