Get To Know The Dazzlers: Meet Olivia!

In the latest installment of our Dazzler Profile series, The Costume Gallery team caught up with Olivia Napolitano of Springfield, NJ

When she was two years old, Olivia Napolitano’s mom enrolled her in a series of dance classes, covering a multitude of different styles. Little Olivia was not impressed.

“I absolutely hated it at first,” she says, “but I grew to become in love with dance as a whole.”

“Love” might be an understatement, given how dance has shaped Olivia’s entire outlook on life. As you’ll learn in our latest Dazzler Q&A, this outgoing 8th-grader has some really big dreams for the future, and her dance experiences are giving her a springboard to get there!

Read on to learn more about Olivia!

What do you love most about dance?

Being able to express everything through dance, all of the people, and the different styles. Dancing helps me stay happy, healthy, and feel so much better about myself!

Who are your biggest mentors in dance, and what impact did they have on you?

All of my dance teachers help me grow so much and help shape me into the dancer I am today. They have taught me so many amazing lessons in dance and in life. My family supports me through all of my highs and lows through dance! They will love and guide me to do what is best for me.

What is your first recital memory? Please provide as much detail as possible.

My first recital memory was of my ballet dance. I was very little and I still didn’t rly understand dancing in general. I got a big fluffy pink tutu for my ballet dance and I was just so happy to be wearing that costume. I always wore big skirts when I was that age and I thought that if I could wear it at dance too, this would be the dream. That made me love dance and want to do it even more.

Do you remember your favorite costume of all-time? Tell us more about it.

My favorite costume was my pointe dance this year. The costume was a beautiful dark green leotard with black designs. The green part was velvet and it fit perfectly. It had a little black side skirt and it fit perfectly with the dance itself. When the costume is that amazing, the dance is that much better.

How did you integrate dance into your life during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I have danced a lot during Covid-19. During the beginning of quarantine, there were many zoom classes at my studio that would usually be our regular classes. Once the summer came, I did many Instagram live classes and the NYCDA virtual nationals. I took a lot of my free time to stretch and to focus on the challenging parts for me. I liked to have dance as an outlet to stay happy during a negative time.

How has your outlook on life changed in the last year?

My outlook on life has changed a lot. For as long as I’ve known, school was just something that I went to for an education. Never once before COVID-19 did I think I could take advantage of that. I realized that a lot of things in life aren’t permanent. Life can change so quickly, so I learned to live every moment to its fullest, because it can change very quickly.

What are your goals in dance?

My goals in dance are to become my best self as a dancer and use it in life to help me for the future ahead.

What do you think it means to be an “Influencer”?

To me, an influencer is someone who is an inspiration and/or a role model for people of all ages. An influencer should use their platform that they are given to help bring everyone up through a positive atmosphere.

What message do you want to send other dancers who look up to you?

A message that I want to send to other dancers is to love the little things in life. COVID-19 has affected the entire world and stopped all of us from doing almost anything. We need to cherish the little things in life, like a chant that we use before a competition, or the excitement when we are on stage performing. These are the best moments in life that we need to hold onto for as long as we can. We can never know what will happen in the future, so we should just live our best lives now!