Dances of Italy

A land of wine and song, of love and laughter – the magic of Italy is reflected in the wealth of her dances, which range from the stylised Chain dances of Sardinia and the Sword dances of Piedmont to the courting mimes that belong mainly to the central and southern provinces. Among them are the delightful Monferrina with its teasings and coaxings, the lively Saltarello of central Italy, and above all the Tarantella of the south, with its exciting rhythms, miming attack and defence and final love conquest. In contrast to these warm-blooded folk dances there are the solemn processional dances of Calabria and Sicily, some of them forming part of actual religious ceremonies.

Bianca Galanti, former lecturer on the history of Italian popular traditions at the University of Rome, also included in this book some notes on music and costume, and selected four dances for more detailed description, together with step-notation and music. Examples of Italy’s rich heritage of traditional costume are illustrated by four plates in full colour.