Meet the Italian teen with one leg and no hands finding freedom in acrobatic pole dancing

Meet the Italian teen with one leg and no hands finding freedom in acrobatic pole dancing

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Fifteen-year-old Francesca Cesarini was born with no hands and with only one leg. So her mother was more than a bit surprised when her daughter told her she wanted to be an acrobatic pole dancer.

"I don't know if maybe I saw it on social media first, or I dreamt it, I don't know. I just know that I (woke up and) went to her and I said that I wanted to do pole dance," Cesarini said.

Three years later, in 2021 she competed in the International Pole Sports Federation's virtual world pole and aerial championship.

. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi
Francesca has her hair combed by her mother Valeria.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, pole dancers from around the world submitted videos of their performances and were judged virtually. She was the only athlete to compete in the disability category and was awarded the gold medal.

Like many girls her age, Francesca wears braces on her teeth and a black plastic choker necklace. She likes to go to McDonalds, sings the latest pop song while walking with her best friend, and loves all things Harry Potter.

But she chose an increasingly popular sport that anyone would find difficult.

. Perugia, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi
Francesca trains with her teammates at the ASD Plume Academy.

"It makes me feel free," she said in her family's apartment near Perugia in central Italy, where she practices at home and trains with her coach Elena Imbrogno in a local gym.

At a recent training session, as she hung upside down and twirled, Imbrogno told her to try it again but with her head just a bit straighter.

. Perugia, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi
Francesca trains at the ASD Plume Academy.

"There are some difficult elements (like) when you have to contort yourself or maybe you have to hold on with just an arm, a leg, or a foot. That's the difficult thing," she said.

She has one prosthetic leg, but when he she was about eight years old she decided to stop using artificial forearms because she found them inhibiting.

. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi
Francesca jokes with her sister Sara at their father's house.

"She still doesn't want them," said her mother Valeria Mencaroni, 47.

“Francesca is a girl who knows what she wants. She wants to achieve certain goals," said her father Marco Cesarini, 57. "Francesca is like this, this is it. She has never had that limb, or hands, and so she does everything with what she has."

. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi
Francesca practices pole dancing at home while her mother Valeria Mencaroni, 47, watches.

And, he might have added, she did it without any help from Harry Potter's wand.

(Photo editing Kezia Levitas; Additional reporting Emily Roe and Elly Biles; Writing Philip Pullella; Editing William Maclean; Layout Kezia Levitas)

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Slideshow

Francesca studies with the help of her stepmother Cristina, 56.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca studies with the help of her stepmother Cristina, 56.

Francesca sings and dances with her cousin, Anna, 14, as they walk along a street in Magione.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca sings and dances with her cousin, Anna, 14, as they walk along a street in Magione.

Francesca practices pole dancing at home.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca practices pole dancing at home.

Francesca checks an illustration of an exercise on her phone while practicing pole dancing at home.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca checks an illustration of an exercise on her phone while practicing pole dancing at home.

Francesca practices pole dancing at home.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca practices pole dancing at home.

Francesca has lunch with her father Marco after her training session.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca has lunch with her father Marco after her training session.

Francesca walks with her father Marco after lunch.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca walks with her father Marco after lunch.

Francesca eats candy after lunch at home.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca eats candy after lunch at home.

Francesca hugs her two cousins, Anna, 14, and Alessia, 13, in their grandparents' garden.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca hugs her two cousins, Anna, 14, and Alessia, 13, in their grandparents' garden.

Francesca poses with the gold medal she won in the disability category at the the Virtual International Pole Sports Federation World Pole and Aerial Championship 2021.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca poses with the gold medal she won in the disability category at the the Virtual International Pole Sports Federation World Pole and Aerial Championship 2021.

Francesca trains with her coach Elena Imbrogno, 38, at the ASD Plume Academy.
. Perugia, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca trains with her coach Elena Imbrogno, 38, at the ASD Plume Academy.

Francesca trains with the help of her teammate Marta Persichini, 28, at the ASD Plume Academy.
. Perugia, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca trains with the help of her teammate Marta Persichini, 28, at the ASD Plume Academy.

Francesca practices pole dancing at home while her mother Valeria watches.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca practices pole dancing at home while her mother Valeria watches.

Francesca reads "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" in her bedroom.
. Magione, Italy. Reuters/Yara Nardi

Francesca reads "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" in her bedroom.