IAP 22: Mickela Mallozzi on hard work, and making our ancestors proud and our dreams come true

In this episode, Dolores interviews Mickela Mallozzi, an Emmy Award winning host and producer of the popular travel dance TV and web series "Bare Feet®." Born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut of Italian immigrant parents, she grew up with well-preserved traditions of the Southern-Italian culture, and her appreciation for folk tradition started at a very young age.  She began dancing when she was 3, started playing the piano at age 5, was trained in classical and jazz piano, played violin and flute, trained at the Stamford City Ballet School and Center Stage Dance Studio, and was choreographing and performing with prestigious companies in the Tri-State Area once she reached high school. In college, Mallozzi attended New York University (NYU) for music composition, studying abroad for two summer semesters through the NYU Florence Program and as an AIAE Programma Ponte Scholarship recipient in Rome in 2003. Inspiration from her own experiences led Mallozzi to create the Bare Feet® blog, documenting her dance adventures around the world, which then evolved into the Emmy® Award-winning TV series on public television nationwide, "Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi" – combining her two passions in life: travel and dance. The Italian American Stories segment of this episode features an interview with Grazia Solazzi from Cook with Grazia.  Anthony conducted the interview on site in Lerici, Italy where Grazia spends her summers. Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation Select Italy Select Italy's Yoga Trip to Italy